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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. march — the month
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. march — music
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. present — a gift
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. wake — a trail
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. present — the time now
  16. stem — to come from
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause
  19. march — the month
  20. firm — steady
  21. present — there
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. firm — decided

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