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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bore — to tire
  3. track — to keep track
  4. march — the month
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. object — an aim
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chair — a leader
  11. object — to protest
  12. track — a song
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. march — the month
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. track — a path
  19. object — a thing
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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