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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. clip — a video
  5. clip — to cut
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. march — the month
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. march — the month
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. clip — for paper

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