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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. land — ground
  5. march — music
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. perch — the fish
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bank — for money
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. march — the month
  13. bank — of a river
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. dip — to sink
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bank — for money
  19. land — to come down
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. land — a country
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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