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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.

Make a worksheet

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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. track — a path
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. march — the month
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. track — to keep track
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. rest — a break
  12. bound — obliged
  13. scale — in music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. track — a song
  16. rest — what's left
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rest — what's left
  21. march — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — certain

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