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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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468
Word bank
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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pit — a hole
  6. degree — an amount
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. degree — from a university
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. degree — temperature
  15. firm — a company
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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