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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. land — a country
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stock — goods
  7. suit — clothes
  8. land — to come down
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. land — ground
  13. stock — shares
  14. march — music
  15. suit — to fit
  16. board — a committee
  17. suit — in cards
  18. board — a flat piece

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