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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. march — the month
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. suit — in cards
  6. object — an aim
  7. chest — a box
  8. rock — music
  9. march — the month
  10. object — to protest
  11. march — music
  12. suit — clothes
  13. board — a committee
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rock — a stone
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — for digging
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. object — a thing
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. mine — an explosive

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