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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 124 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. board — a committee
  3. march — music
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. craft — boats
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. can — a tin
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cue — for pool
  16. march — the month
  17. pop — music
  18. craft — a skill
  19. board — to get on
  20. mark — a grade
  21. can — a tin
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. can — to be able to
  24. calf — a young animal

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