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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. march — music
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. march — the month
  5. track — to keep track
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. track — a path
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. cue — for pool
  10. track — a song
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. roll — a cake
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. roll — a list
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — a signal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. coach — a trainer
  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