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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. kid — child
  3. cap — of ice
  4. march — the month
  5. suit — to fit
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. branch — a division
  8. suit — in cards
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. suit — clothes
  15. march — music
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bulb — for light
  18. kid — to tease
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. cap — a hat
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pitch — completely

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