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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. suit — clothes
  4. march — music
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. ball — a great time
  7. suit — to fit
  8. last — to go on
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. suit — in cards
  12. last — final
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. mine — for digging
  19. march — the month
  20. saw — the tool
  21. last — finally
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cabinet — ministers

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