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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. hand — in cards
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. march — the month
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rock — music
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. march — music
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rock — a stone
  20. can — to be able to
  21. hand — help
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pitch — completely

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