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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. squash — to crush
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. root — of a plant
  7. squash — the sport
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. march — music
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. root — the cause
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ball — a great time
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. march — the month
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. root — of a word
  23. bat — the animal
  24. leaves — of a tree

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