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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cue — a hint
  8. chip — to eat
  9. march — the month
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. march — the month
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cue — a signal
  19. chip — for betting
  20. mine — for digging
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. saw — the tool

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