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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. march — the month
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. object — to protest
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. object — a thing
  11. march — music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. object — an aim
  14. foot — a measure
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. march — the month
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — in sport
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. straw — a straw man

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