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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. last — to go on
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. key — the most important part
  9. last — final
  10. date — the fruit
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. press — to push
  14. last — finally
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. press — newspapers
  17. march — the month
  18. press — a publisher
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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