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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bass — low music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. march — the month
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. season — of the year
  14. kid — child
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. season — in sport

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