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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. can — a tin
  4. club — for dancing
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. club — a group
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. club — for golf
  11. present — a gift
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. present — the time now
  14. march — music
  15. can — to be able to
  16. land — to come down
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. march — the month
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. can — a tin
  22. land — ground
  23. present — there
  24. land — a country

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