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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. track — a path
  5. wound — an injury
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bore — to drill
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bore — to tire
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. march — the month
  15. deal — to handle
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. foot — a measure
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a song
  21. prune — to trim
  22. march — the month
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bore — gave birth

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