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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. drill — army training
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mug — a face
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mug — to rob
  11. stock — shares
  12. pass — a permit
  13. march — music
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. drill — the tool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mug — a cup
  18. march — the month
  19. stock — goods
  20. drill — a practice
  21. ball — a great time
  22. cap — a hat
  23. march — the month
  24. cap — a lid

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