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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. tube — the underground
  3. march — the month
  4. bulb — for light
  5. row — to paddle
  6. suit — in cards
  7. board — to get on
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bulb — for light
  11. board — a committee
  12. row — a line
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. tube — a container
  15. rock — a stone
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. suit — to fit
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. march — the month
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. rock — music
  24. lash — to lash out

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