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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. chest — of your body
  3. present — a gift
  4. mate — a partner
  5. march — the month
  6. present — there
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mate — to breed
  11. chest — of your body
  12. board — a committee
  13. cap — a lid
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chest — a box
  16. cap — of ice
  17. march — music
  18. present — the time now
  19. mate — a friend
  20. cap — a hat
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. mark — a trace
  24. ruler — a monarch

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