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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. present — the time now
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. net — in sport
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. net — for catching
  9. present — a gift
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. track — a song
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. track — a path
  18. present — there
  19. foot — a measure
  20. kick — in football
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. net — after costs
  23. march — 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