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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. ground — the earth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rash — a series
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. march — the month
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. march — music
  12. suit — to fit
  13. face — to confront
  14. wake — a trail
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. fine — high quality
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. ground — a position
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. face — to point toward
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rash — hasty
  23. face — part of the head
  24. march — the month

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