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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. ball — a great time
  4. kick — in football
  5. firm — a company
  6. march — music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rest — a break
  13. suit — to fit
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. capital — money
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rest — what's left
  19. suit — in cards
  20. firm — steady
  21. capital — a city
  22. firm — decided
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. date — the fruit

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