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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. march — the month
  6. cap — a lid
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. roll — a cake
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. branch — a division
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. cap — of ice
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. pitch — completely
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. cap — a hat
  24. roll — a list

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