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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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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rest — what's left
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. march — music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. band — a music group
  7. club — a group
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rest — a break
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. march — the month
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. club — for dancing
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bat — the animal
  19. suit — clothes
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. club — for golf
  23. band — a ring
  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