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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mate — a friend
  5. march — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — music
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bound — tied together
  14. march — the month
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rest — a break
  17. march — the month
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bound — obliged
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bound — certain
  24. swing — to play on

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