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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rest — what's left
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. drill — army training
  5. board — to get on
  6. march — the month
  7. drill — a practice
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. charge — a price
  10. tube — the underground
  11. pop — to visit
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. march — the month
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. march — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pop — music
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. drill — the tool
  24. board — a committee

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