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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. foot — a measure
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. land — a country
  7. march — the month
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. land — ground
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. land — to come down
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pass — a permit
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. march — music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pass — to spend time

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