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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 116 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pitch — completely
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. pound — a weight
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rock — a stone
  17. march — music
  18. staff — a stick
  19. fine — all right
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rock — music
  22. staff — employees
  23. march — the month
  24. staff — employees

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