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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 124 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. land — ground
  4. object — a thing
  5. land — to come down
  6. board — a committee
  7. mug — a face
  8. land — a country
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. march — music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bear — the animal
  16. object — to protest
  17. mug — to rob
  18. object — an aim
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mug — a cup
  23. board — to get on
  24. march — the month

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