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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 116 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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. fine — all right
  3. wound — an injury
  4. row — a line
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. suit — to fit
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. suit — clothes
  9. row — to paddle
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. suit — in cards
  13. board — to get on
  14. march — music
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. cue — a hint
  17. board — a committee
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bulb — for light
  23. march — the month
  24. wound — an injury

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