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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · foot · mate · file · key · march · bulb · wound

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. march — music
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. file — a tool
  5. mate — to breed
  6. key — in music
  7. mate — a friend
  8. march — the month
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. foot — a measure
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. pass — a permit
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bulb — for light
  16. file — a document
  17. wound — an injury
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. key — the most important part
  23. march — the month
  24. key — for a lock

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