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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. roll — a list
  4. march — the month
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. march — music
  9. stock — shares
  10. ground — a position
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mate — a friend
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stock — goods
  16. roll — a cake
  17. ground — the earth
  18. stand — to bear
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. ground — crushed
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. temple — a place of worship

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