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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — clothes
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. suit — in cards
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. degree — from a university
  8. drill — the tool
  9. degree — temperature
  10. roll — a list
  11. drill — a practice
  12. squash — the sport
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. degree — an amount
  16. march — the month
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. march — music
  19. roll — a cake
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. squash — to crush
  23. drill — army training
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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