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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. pop — to visit
  10. roll — a cake
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pop — music
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pop — soda
  21. scale — in music
  22. kick — in football
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. roll — a list

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