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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. rest — a break
  3. march — the month
  4. land — ground
  5. current — of water
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. current — happening now
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. land — a country
  13. deal — to handle
  14. current — electric
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. date — the fruit
  19. rest — what's left
  20. march — the month
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. land — to come down

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