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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. sharp — clever
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. march — the month
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bank — for money
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — in football
  11. staff — a stick
  12. track — a song
  13. staff — employees
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. track — a path
  16. march — the month
  17. march — music
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bank — for money
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rash — a series
  22. staff — employees
  23. rock — music
  24. rash — on the skin

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