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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 116 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. stem — to come from
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. track — to keep track
  7. march — the month
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. track — a song
  14. object — a thing
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bore — to tire
  18. object — to protest
  19. track — a path
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bore — to drill
  23. object — an aim
  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