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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 120 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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. swing — in golf
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. root — of a plant
  6. march — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. object — to protest
  12. shower — rain
  13. swing — music
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. object — a thing
  17. pitch — completely
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bear — the animal
  20. swing — to play on
  21. march — the month
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a word
  24. object — an aim

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