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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stand — to bear
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wind — moving air
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. track — a song
  13. track — a path
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. chair — a leader
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. calf — a young animal

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