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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. club — for golf
  5. march — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. march — the month
  8. can — a tin
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — a group
  12. content — happy
  13. cell — a phone
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cell — in biology
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fall — the season
  19. fall — to drop
  20. can — a tin
  21. content — the amount
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. jam — to spread on 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