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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. march — the month
  4. firm — steady
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — music
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rush — hurry
  11. firm — a company
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. season — of the year
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. season — in sport
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. march — the month
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. rock — a stone
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. firm — decided
  24. march — music

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