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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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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 · net · firm · foot · squash · rule · pit · last

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. squash — the sport
  3. firm — a company
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rule — government
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — to crush
  9. last — finally
  10. last — final
  11. march — music
  12. last — to go on
  13. net — after costs
  14. pit — in a race
  15. foot — a measure
  16. march — the month
  17. net — in sport
  18. rule — a law
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. firm — steady
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. firm — decided
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. net — for catching

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