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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cell — in biology
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. spell — magic
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mark — a trace
  8. can — to be able to
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. spell — a short time
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. march — the month
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — a phone
  17. spell — letters
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mark — a grade
  22. march — music
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. can — a tin

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