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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. march — the month
  9. tear — to rip
  10. present — there
  11. track — to keep track
  12. rock — a stone
  13. march — music
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. track — a song
  16. present — the time now
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. present — a gift
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — the fruit
  23. track — a path
  24. rock — 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