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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. suit — clothes
  8. board — to get on
  9. march — music
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. pitcher — a jug

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