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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fine — all right
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. prune — to trim
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fine — high quality
  12. craft — boats
  13. march — music
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. craft — a skill
  17. suit — clothes
  18. march — the month
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. suit — to fit
  21. lie — to recline
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. straw — dry grass

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