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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. spring — the season
  3. pop — soda
  4. bear — the animal
  5. march — music
  6. current — electric
  7. swing — music
  8. current — of water
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. spring — a coil
  11. current — happening now
  12. pop — music
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. spring — of water
  16. march — the month
  17. pop — to visit
  18. swing — in golf
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. swing — to play on
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pass — a permit

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