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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. scale — in music
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. scale — size or range
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bark — to shout
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. present — there
  11. tear — from crying
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. march — music
  14. present — the time now
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. march — the month
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. march — the month
  20. track — a path
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. present — a gift
  24. safe — out of danger

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