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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. last — finally
  5. last — to go on
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bulb — for light
  10. last — final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. lie — to recline
  15. march — music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. march — the month

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