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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. staff — employees
  5. drill — army training
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fall — to drop
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. drill — the tool
  14. board — to get on
  15. fall — to drop
  16. board — a committee
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. staff — employees
  21. drill — a practice
  22. fall — the season
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. staff — a stick

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