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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 124 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. march — the month
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. march — the month
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rash — a series
  16. march — music
  17. rash — hasty
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. can — a tin
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. wake — a trail

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