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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. last — finally
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. march — the month
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rule — government
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. present — the time now
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. present — there
  16. march — music
  17. stand — to bear
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. march — the month
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rule — a law

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