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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. march — music
  4. mark — a grade
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mark — a trace
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mine — for digging
  16. march — the month
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. march — the month
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bear — the animal

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