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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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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: rule · tear · march · pass · bay · roll · pound · season

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. roll — a list
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rule — government
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. roll — a cake
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rule — a law
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. tear — from crying
  18. season — in sport
  19. pound — a weight
  20. march — the month
  21. tear — to rip
  22. pass — a permit
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — to add flavour

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