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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. march — the month
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bass — low music
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bass — the fish
  9. board — a committee
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. suit — to fit
  12. roll — a cake
  13. degree — temperature
  14. roll — a list
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. degree — an amount
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. cap — a lid
  23. degree — from a university
  24. suit — clothes

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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