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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. track — to keep track
  3. mark — a trace
  4. march — the month
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. suit — to fit
  8. track — a path
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. track — a song
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bark — to shout
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mark — a grade
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pit — a hole
  20. suit — clothes
  21. march — music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rock — music
  24. march — the month

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