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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: track · fan · march · wind · calf · net · dip · ball

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. track — a song
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wind — moving air
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. net — for catching
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ball — a great time
  17. net — after costs
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. track — a path
  20. net — in sport
  21. march — the month
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ball — a dance

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