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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. march — music
  3. spell — a short time
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pitch — completely
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. fine — all right
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. firm — decided
  12. track — a path
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. march — the month
  15. spell — magic
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fine — high quality
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. march — the month
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. calf — of the leg

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