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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pass — a permit
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — in a race
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ball — a great time
  9. kick — in football
  10. march — music
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. march — the month
  24. patient — a sick person

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