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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. march — music
  3. bound — obliged
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bound — certain
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bear — the animal
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. march — the month
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. ball — a dance
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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