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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 124 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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. key — in music
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. firm — steady
  6. dip — to sink
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. row — to paddle
  12. face — to point toward
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. firm — decided
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. face — to confront
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. march — the month
  20. row — a line
  21. key — for a lock
  22. firm — a company
  23. stand — to bear
  24. key — the most important part

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