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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. field — farmland
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. craft — a skill
  6. current — happening now
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. field — a subject
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. board — a committee
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. march — the month
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. board — to get on
  16. current — of water
  17. craft — boats
  18. current — electric
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. field — for sport
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. march — music

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