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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. march — the month
  3. rash — a series
  4. last — final
  5. rash — hasty
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. march — music
  10. shower — rain
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. last — finally
  13. rock — a stone
  14. shower — to wash
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rock — music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. last — to go on
  24. march — the month

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