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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. march — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. march — the month
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rock — music
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. vault — a safe
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. march — the month
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bat — the animal
  24. mark — a grade

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