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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. staff — employees
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. swing — to play on
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mouse — the animal

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