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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. mate — a friend
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — money
  5. club — for dancing
  6. mate — a partner
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. club — a group
  10. mate — to breed
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. staff — employees
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. march — the month
  17. can — to be able to
  18. march — the month
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. club — for golf
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. staff — a stick

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