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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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. march — the month
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mug — to rob
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mug — a face
  11. kick — in football
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. mug — a cup
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. march — music
  18. wound — an injury
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cue — a hint
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. roll — a list
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. roll — a cake

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