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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rash — hasty
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — a leader
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — for light
  17. march — the month
  18. bulb — for light
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. march — the month
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fan — to cool the air

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