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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pop — soda
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. march — the month
  7. suit — in cards
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — in football
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pop — to visit
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stem — to come from
  19. pop — music
  20. lean — thin
  21. cue — for pool
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cue — a signal
  24. march — the month

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