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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 116 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. net — after costs
  6. march — the month
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pit — a hole
  10. net — for catching
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bear — the animal
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rock — to move gently

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