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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. march — the month
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. drill — the tool
  5. march — music
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — army training
  8. season — of the year
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. row — to paddle
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. row — a line
  14. pass — a permit
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. march — the month
  20. season — in sport
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. row — a quarrel

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