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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. date — the fruit
  3. row — a line
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. march — the month
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. club — for dancing
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. row — to paddle
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. season — in sport
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. club — a group
  18. march — the month
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. season — of the year
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. club — for golf
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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