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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mine — for digging
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. lie — to recline
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. suit — in cards
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. march — the month
  12. suit — clothes
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. march — music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. branch — a division
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. patient — a sick person

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