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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. track — to keep track
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pitch — completely
  7. hand — help
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. hand — in cards
  12. march — the month
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. fork — in a road
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. march — the month
  24. cap — of ice

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