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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — clothes
  3. march — the month
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. band — a music group
  9. cap — of ice
  10. band — a ring
  11. row — a line
  12. deal — to handle
  13. suit — in cards
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cap — a hat
  17. suit — to fit
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. march — music
  21. row — to paddle
  22. rush — hurry
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rush — a thrill

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