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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mark — a grade
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. ground — crushed
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. ground — the earth
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. foot — a measure
  21. ground — a position
  22. wound — an injury
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bark — of a tree

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