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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mate — a friend
  3. march — music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — to recline
  6. land — to come down
  7. bulb — for light
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. land — a country
  10. mate — a partner
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pass — a permit
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mate — to breed
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. march — the month
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. land — ground
  24. pass — to succeed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com