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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. tear — from crying
  6. march — the month
  7. tear — from crying
  8. craft — a skill
  9. last — final
  10. dip — to sink
  11. last — to go on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. march — the month
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. craft — boats
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. last — finally
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. current — electric
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. tear — to rip

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