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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. track — a song
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. firm — steady
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. present — there
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. present — a gift
  14. march — the month
  15. track — a path
  16. court — of a king
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. track — to keep track
  19. firm — decided
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. court — for sport
  22. present — the time now
  23. court — of law
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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