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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. can — a tin
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. wound — an injury
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. march — the month
  7. kick — in football
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. march — the month
  12. bound — obliged
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. pass — a permit
  15. march — music
  16. bound — tied together
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wound — an injury
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. can — a tin
  24. kick — with a leg

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