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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. march — the month
  3. can — a tin
  4. wax — to grow
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. deal — to handle
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wound — an injury
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. toast — bread
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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