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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ground — a position
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. last — final
  7. last — to go on
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. march — music
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. last — finally
  12. bore — to drill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pit — in a race
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ground — crushed
  20. perch — the fish
  21. ground — the earth
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bore — to tire
  24. lie — to recline

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