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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. march — the month
  3. stock — goods
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for dancing
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. drill — the tool
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. march — music
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. march — the month
  16. stock — shares
  17. drill — army training
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cap — a lid
  20. club — for golf
  21. ball — a dance
  22. drill — a practice
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. ball — a great time

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