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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. track — a path
  3. board — a committee
  4. can — a tin
  5. march — music
  6. row — to paddle
  7. march — the month
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. march — the month
  10. track — a song
  11. board — to get on
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bark — to shout
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. can — a tin
  18. fine — high quality
  19. can — to be able to
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — a line
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. leaves — lets stay

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