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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. branch — a division
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. squash — the sport
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mark — a grade
  9. march — music
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mark — a trace
  14. club — a group
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bear — the animal
  20. march — the month
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. club — for golf

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