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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. foot — a measure
  3. march — the month
  4. tear — from crying
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. track — a path
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. tear — from crying
  11. march — music
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. key — in music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. key — the most important part
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. track — a song
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bark — to shout
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. tear — to rip

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