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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. march — the month
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bass — low music
  10. fork — in a road
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bark — to shout
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. scale — in music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bass — the fish
  24. march — music

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