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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. field — farmland
  8. season — in sport
  9. track — a path
  10. season — of the year
  11. row — a line
  12. suit — clothes
  13. field — for sport
  14. suit — to fit
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. suit — in cards
  17. march — music
  18. field — a subject
  19. track — a song
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. march — the month
  23. march — the month
  24. track — to keep track

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