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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. march — music
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. degree — an amount
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. march — the month
  11. branch — a division
  12. bear — the animal
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. stand — to bear
  15. degree — from a university
  16. march — the month
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kick — in football
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. degree — temperature
  24. bear — to put up with

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