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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 120 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. march — the month
  11. court — for sport
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. season — in sport
  15. march — music
  16. rock — music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cap — a hat
  19. march — the month
  20. cap — of ice
  21. court — of law
  22. rock — a stone
  23. court — of a king
  24. cap — a lid

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