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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. march — music
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — a group
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bulb — for light
  8. march — the month
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. club — for dancing
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bulb — for light
  16. march — the month
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. board — to get on
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. patient — a sick person

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