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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: march · pop · perch · present · drill · fine · mug · bear

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. mug — a face
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bear — the animal
  5. drill — a practice
  6. fine — high quality
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — a gift
  10. fine — all right
  11. bear — the animal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. drill — the tool
  15. march — the month
  16. mug — to rob
  17. march — music
  18. mug — a cup
  19. drill — army training
  20. march — the month
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. present — there
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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