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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. march — the month
  4. bear — the animal
  5. net — after costs
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. net — in sport
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. suit — in cards
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. suit — to fit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. net — for catching
  22. march — music
  23. suit — clothes
  24. nail — on a finger

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