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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. object — a thing
  3. march — the month
  4. spring — of water
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. spring — the season
  9. ball — a great time
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. spring — a coil
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ball — a dance
  15. object — to protest
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lie — to recline
  18. pitch — completely
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. object — an aim
  22. march — music
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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