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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. band — a music group
  5. march — music
  6. band — a ring
  7. bore — to tire
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. march — the month
  10. toast — bread
  11. mark — a trace
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mark — a grade
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. ground — a position
  20. bore — to drill
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. ground — the earth
  23. march — the month
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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