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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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Word bank
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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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. chest — a box
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. chest — of your body
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. suit — clothes
  7. march — music
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. march — the month
  10. scale — in music
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. scale — size or range
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. march — the month
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wound — an injury
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pass — a permit

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