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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. club — for dancing
  3. snap — to click
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. present — the time now
  6. club — for golf
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. present — there
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bulb — for light
  15. march — the month
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. march — the month
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. club — a group
  21. present — a gift
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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