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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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bear — the animal
  3. kick — in football
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. drill — a practice
  6. fork — in a road
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. current — of water
  10. march — the month
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. current — electric
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. current — happening now
  23. march — music
  24. fork — to eat with

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