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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. firm — steady
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. march — the month
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rest — a break
  8. firm — decided
  9. march — the month
  10. rest — what's left
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lean — to bend
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — bread
  22. firm — a company
  23. lean — thin
  24. bulb — of a plant

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