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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rest — what's left
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rest — what's left
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. march — the month
  11. charge — a price
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. suit — to fit
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — in sport
  16. charge — in control
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — a hat
  20. suit — clothes
  21. track — a path
  22. rest — a break
  23. march — music
  24. suit — in cards

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