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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.

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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 · club · jam · spell · safe · spring · mug · mate

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mate — a friend
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. club — for dancing
  7. march — the month
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. spring — a coil
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spring — the season
  12. mate — a partner
  13. spell — letters
  14. club — a group
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mate — to breed
  17. club — for golf
  18. mug — to rob
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. spell — magic
  21. march — the month
  22. spell — a short time
  23. mug — a face
  24. spring — of water

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