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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. content — happy
  4. march — the month
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mark — a trace
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rule — government
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. march — music
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. suit — clothes
  20. content — the amount
  21. rest — a break
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rule — a law

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