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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mine — for digging
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stock — goods
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. ground — the earth
  11. stock — shares
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. ground — a position
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. vault — a safe
  19. ground — crushed
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. march — the month
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. march — music

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