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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. march — the month
  3. present — the time now
  4. rule — a law
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. march — the month
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rule — government
  10. dip — to sink
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. spell — magic
  14. present — a gift
  15. stock — shares
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. spell — letters
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. march — music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. spell — a short time
  23. stock — goods
  24. mouse — the animal

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