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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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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. board — to get on
  3. march — music
  4. fork — in a road
  5. march — the month
  6. rush — hurry
  7. race — humankind
  8. march — the month
  9. club — for dancing
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. club — a group
  16. board — a committee
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. club — for golf

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