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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — to rob
  6. ball — a dance
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. face — part of the head
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rash — hasty
  15. face — to point toward
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. ball — a great time
  19. march — music
  20. rash — a series
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mug — a cup
  23. face — to confront
  24. mine — an explosive

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