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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. last — finally
  3. dip — to sink
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. last — to go on
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. last — final
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. march — the month
  12. branch — a division
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rest — what's left
  16. toast — bread
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. charge — in control
  19. rest — a break
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. march — the month
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rest — what's left
  24. charge — a price

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