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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mate — a partner
  7. march — the month
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. roll — a list
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mine — for digging
  13. perch — the fish
  14. mate — a friend
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. mate — to breed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. safe — out of danger

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