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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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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: pound · wind · suit · march · bay · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. march — music
  4. wind — moving air
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. present — a gift
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. march — the month
  10. wind — moving air
  11. suit — to fit
  12. present — the time now
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. march — the month
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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