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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rock — music
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. march — music
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rock — a stone
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. march — the month
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. march — the month
  14. pass — a permit
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mark — a trace
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rock — to move gently

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