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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. march — the month
  5. vault — a safe
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wound — an injury
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. march — the month
  10. wax — to grow
  11. object — to protest
  12. pit — a hole
  13. object — a thing
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. object — an aim
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pit — in a race
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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