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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rock — music
  5. present — there
  6. suit — to fit
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. present — a gift
  14. rock — a stone
  15. suit — clothes
  16. plane — a tool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. march — the month
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. march — music
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. present — the time now
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. plane — in geometry

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