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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. march — the month
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wake — a trail
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bear — the animal
  19. march — music
  20. fine — all right
  21. wound — an injury
  22. march — the month
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bear — the animal

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