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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bat — the animal
  5. march — the month
  6. fine — all right
  7. track — a song
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. pit — a hole
  10. track — a path
  11. march — the month
  12. rock — music
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. firm — a company
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. track — to keep track
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. pit — in a race
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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