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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. ball — a dance
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. object — an aim
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. object — a thing
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a great time
  13. object — to protest
  14. march — the month
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. squash — to crush
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. march — the month
  22. squash — the sport
  23. pitch — completely
  24. nail — for a hammer

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