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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  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. march — the month
  2. net — after costs
  3. march — the month
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. spring — a coil
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. march — music
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. charge — in control
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. spring — of water
  15. charge — electricity
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. staff — employees
  18. spring — the season
  19. charge — a price
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bowl — a football final
  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