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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 120 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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. current — electric
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. season — in sport
  6. bank — for money
  7. march — the month
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. current — happening now
  10. bank — of a river
  11. face — to confront
  12. field — a subject
  13. march — the month
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. current — of water
  19. face — to point toward
  20. field — for sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. bank — for money
  23. field — farmland
  24. face — part of the head

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