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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bound — certain
  3. march — the month
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. perch — the fish
  7. mate — a friend
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bound — tied together
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. current — electric
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bound — obliged
  18. current — happening now
  19. mate — to breed
  20. hand — in cards
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. march — the month
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. current — of water

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