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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. track — to keep track
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. drill — a practice
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. track — a song
  11. pit — in a race
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. net — after costs
  16. march — music
  17. march — the month
  18. track — a path
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pit — a hole
  21. net — in sport
  22. pound — a weight
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. net — for catching

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