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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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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: file · suit · bay · march · present · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. present — there
  3. file — a document
  4. march — the month
  5. kick — in football
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. march — music
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. march — the month
  15. present — a gift
  16. suit — to fit
  17. present — the time now
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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