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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. key — in music
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. band — a music group
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. field — farmland
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mug — a cup
  10. key — the most important part
  11. mug — to rob
  12. suit — to fit
  13. field — for sport
  14. mug — a face
  15. march — the month
  16. band — a ring
  17. march — the month
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. field — a subject
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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