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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mark — a trace
  5. track — a path
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. track — to keep track
  10. land — to come down
  11. march — music
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. march — the month
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mate — to breed
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. land — ground
  21. track — a song
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. land — a country

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