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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: ground · mug · season · calf · bowl · rock · march · pitcher

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mug — to rob
  3. march — the month
  4. season — in sport
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. march — music
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mug — a face
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. ground — the earth
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ground — a position
  18. rock — music
  19. season — of the year
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. ground — crushed

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