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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rest — what's left
  3. face — to confront
  4. rest — what's left
  5. march — music
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. stock — shares
  8. face — part of the head
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pop — music
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pop — soda
  16. can — a tin
  17. rest — a break
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stock — goods
  20. pop — to visit
  21. face — to point toward
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. march — the month

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