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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — a thing
  10. row — a line
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. march — the month
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pass — a permit
  15. perch — the fish
  16. object — an aim
  17. march — the month
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. wax — to grow
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bank — for money
  24. pass — to succeed

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