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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. present — the time now
  4. march — music
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. track — to keep track
  8. present — there
  9. board — a committee
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rock — music
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. march — the month
  18. present — a gift
  19. track — a song
  20. board — to get on
  21. saw — the tool
  22. march — the month
  23. track — a path
  24. bear — the animal

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