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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. march — the month
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stock — goods
  6. bound — obliged
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. key — in music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — a safe
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bound — certain
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bound — tied together
  17. wax — to grow
  18. march — music
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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