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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: bore · rock · band · march · fan · calf · sharp · hide

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. march — music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. march — the month
  9. band — a ring
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. band — a music group
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rock — a stone
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rock — music
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. hide — to keep secret

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