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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. chair — a leader
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a cup
  7. board — a committee
  8. track — a song
  9. march — music
  10. mug — a face
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. march — the month
  16. key — for a lock
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. track — to keep track
  21. wax — to grow
  22. board — to get on
  23. track — a path
  24. chair — to sit on

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