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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 120 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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. wake — a trail
  3. present — there
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. march — the month
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mark — a grade
  9. current — of water
  10. present — the time now
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. charge — a price
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. game — a match
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — electric
  19. present — a gift
  20. march — the month
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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