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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. capital — a city
  3. can — a tin
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — for pool
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — a series
  9. can — to be able to
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. board — a committee
  12. mate — to breed
  13. board — to get on
  14. capital — money
  15. cue — a signal
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. march — the month
  18. mate — a friend
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. can — a tin
  23. march — the month
  24. mate — a partner

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