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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bore — to drill
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bore — to tire
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. march — the month
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. swing — in golf
  17. spell — a short time
  18. squash — the sport
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — music
  21. march — the month
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. plane — in geometry
  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