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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. march — music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. march — the month
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. suit — in cards
  8. court — for sport
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to click
  12. pound — a weight
  13. march — the month
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — crushed
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. court — of law
  18. bulb — for light
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. court — of a king
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bulb — for light
  24. leaves — of a tree

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