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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. capital — money
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. object — a thing
  8. fine — all right
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mug — to rob
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. march — music
  14. mug — a face
  15. capital — a city
  16. object — to protest
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. object — an aim
  24. mug — a cup

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