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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 116 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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stand — to bear
  4. current — happening now
  5. object — to protest
  6. swing — to play on
  7. plane — a tool
  8. current — electric
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. march — the month
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. race — the arms race
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. race — a contest
  15. march — the month
  16. current — of water
  17. swing — in golf
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. object — a thing
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. race — humankind
  22. swing — music
  23. object — an aim
  24. stand — for spectators

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