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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. land — ground
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pass — a permit
  8. march — the month
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. land — to come down
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. march — the month
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. land — a country
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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