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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — there
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. season — of the year
  10. craft — a skill
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. present — a gift
  13. tube — the underground
  14. march — music
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. tube — a container
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rush — hurry
  19. swing — music
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. craft — boats
  22. season — in sport
  23. swing — in golf
  24. march — the month

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