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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bear — the animal
  4. saw — the tool
  5. march — the month
  6. march — music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rule — government
  9. current — happening now
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. rule — a law
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a tool
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bear — the animal

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