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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  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 — the month
  2. dip — to sink
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. mate — a partner
  8. band — a music group
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bore — to tire
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mate — to breed
  18. march — the month
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. march — music
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. band — a ring
  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