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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. can — a tin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bark — to shout
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stand — to bear
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. board — to get on
  16. can — a tin
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. can — to be able to
  24. stand — for spectators

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