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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pop — to visit
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. march — the month
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. object — an aim
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. object — to protest
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. march — the month
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. march — music
  20. object — a thing
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pop — music
  24. leaves — of a tree

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