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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. degree — temperature
  5. vault — a safe
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. march — the month
  9. degree — from a university
  10. board — a committee
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. degree — an amount
  14. chip — to eat
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. board — to get on
  24. calf — a young 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