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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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. bore — to tire
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. roll — a list
  7. season — of the year
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mug — to rob
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. march — the month
  13. firm — a company
  14. clip — a video
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. clip — for paper
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. firm — steady
  22. roll — a cake
  23. clip — to cut
  24. firm — decided

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