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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. staff — a stick
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. march — the month
  6. staff — employees
  7. bass — the fish
  8. spell — magic
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. spell — letters
  13. march — the month
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. staff — employees
  18. bore — to drill
  19. craft — boats
  20. bass — low music
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. spell — a short time

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