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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. march — the month
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. craft — boats
  6. march — the month
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. march — music
  9. tube — the underground
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mug — a face
  12. rest — a break
  13. tube — a container
  14. deal — to handle
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mug — a cup
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. mug — to rob
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. rest — what's left
  24. toast — bread

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