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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. march — music
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. object — to protest
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. object — a thing
  8. pass — a permit
  9. march — the month
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. march — the month
  19. club — for dancing
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. club — for golf
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mark — a trace
  24. club — a group

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