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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. degree — from a university
  3. firm — a company
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. firm — steady
  7. march — the month
  8. can — a tin
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. can — a tin
  15. degree — temperature
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. march — the month
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. can — to be able to
  22. degree — an amount
  23. firm — decided
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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