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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. club — a group
  4. march — the month
  5. game — a match
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. club — for dancing
  8. march — the month
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mug — a face
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. march — music
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. board — to get on
  16. mug — a cup
  17. fine — all right
  18. mark — a grade
  19. board — a committee
  20. mug — to rob
  21. fine — high quality
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. club — for golf
  24. game — wild animals

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