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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 116 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  4. season — in sport
  5. capital — a city
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. season — of the year
  10. ball — a great time
  11. march — the month
  12. club — for dancing
  13. ball — a dance
  14. capital — money
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — a trail
  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