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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rock — a stone
  4. last — to go on
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bass — the fish
  7. current — happening now
  8. rock — music
  9. march — the month
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bear — the animal
  13. last — finally
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. last — final
  16. bear — the animal
  17. march — the month
  18. snap — to click
  19. current — of water
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bass — low music
  24. current — electric

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