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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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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: hide · march · field · object · capital · calf · bear · pound

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pound — a weight
  7. field — for sport
  8. capital — money
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. march — the month
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. march — the month
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. capital — a city
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. object — to protest
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. field — a subject
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. field — farmland
  23. bear — the animal
  24. capital — a big letter

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