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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. march — the month
  3. wound — an injury
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rest — a break
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rest — what's left
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. march — music
  16. suit — in cards
  17. march — the month
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. suit — to fit
  20. branch — a division
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. tube — in a tire

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