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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. pass — a permit
  3. roll — a cake
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. last — to go on
  6. chip — for betting
  7. march — the month
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. roll — a list
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. last — final
  13. last — finally
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. march — the month
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. cap — of ice
  24. chip — to eat

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