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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. club — a group
  4. track — a path
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. row — a line
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. swing — in golf
  10. march — the month
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. row — to paddle
  13. swing — music
  14. pop — music
  15. track — a song
  16. march — the month
  17. track — to keep track
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. club — for golf
  20. kick — in football
  21. club — for dancing
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. swing — to play on
  24. pop — to visit

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