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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. branch — a division
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. degree — from a university
  6. suit — in cards
  7. saw — the tool
  8. march — the month
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. stand — to bear
  13. march — the month
  14. suit — to fit
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. craft — a skill
  17. degree — temperature
  18. saw — the tool
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. degree — an amount
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. suit — clothes

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