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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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. march — music
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pop — music
  4. can — a tin
  5. bank — of a river
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cell — in biology
  10. march — the month
  11. cell — a phone
  12. pop — soda
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bank — for money
  17. staff — employees
  18. pop — to visit
  19. staff — employees
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bank — for money
  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