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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mark — a grade
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pound — a weight
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mark — a trace
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — to crush
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. dip — to sink
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. squash — the sport

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