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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. club — for golf
  3. march — the month
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — a group
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. firm — a company
  8. object — an aim
  9. staff — a stick
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. prune — to trim
  12. object — a thing
  13. staff — employees
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. staff — employees
  16. present — there
  17. march — the month
  18. firm — steady
  19. prune — to trim
  20. present — the time now
  21. firm — decided
  22. object — to protest
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. present — a gift

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