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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. mate — a partner
  6. march — the month
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. lie — to recline
  9. board — to get on
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. march — music
  14. board — a committee
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — a thrill

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