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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. present — there
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. march — the month
  12. tube — a container
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. present — a gift
  15. march — the month
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stock — goods
  19. band — a music group
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. band — a ring
  22. march — music
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. tube — the underground

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