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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · kick · march · bay · wind · bear

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bear — the animal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. march — the month
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. suit — clothes
  15. march — music
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. march — the month
  18. bear — the animal

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