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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. march — the month
  3. mug — to rob
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mug — a face
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pound — a weight
  11. mark — a grade
  12. march — music
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bear — the animal
  15. march — the month
  16. track — a song
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. squash — the sport
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. track — a path
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mug — a cup

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