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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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. mine — for digging
  4. march — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. face — part of the head
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. face — to point toward
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. face — to confront
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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