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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bulb — for light
  5. march — the month
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. shower — rain
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. march — the month
  16. mark — a trace
  17. branch — a division
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mark — a grade
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bulb — for light
  24. shower — to wash

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