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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pass — a permit
  8. game — wild animals
  9. suit — in cards
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. game — a match
  18. bass — low music
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. march — the month
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bulb — for light
  23. suit — clothes
  24. march — the month

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