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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. toast — bread
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. swing — music
  7. march — music
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. clip — to cut
  10. clip — a video
  11. rock — music
  12. mug — a face
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. clip — for paper
  15. vault — a safe
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mug — a cup
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. swing — in golf
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. mug — to rob

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