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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. last — final
  3. pop — to visit
  4. net — for catching
  5. staff — employees
  6. pop — soda
  7. march — music
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. staff — employees
  12. net — after costs
  13. fall — the season
  14. last — finally
  15. fall — to drop
  16. last — to go on
  17. staff — a stick
  18. net — in sport
  19. pop — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fall — to drop
  24. march — the month

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