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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. firm — steady
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. board — a committee
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. firm — decided
  11. pop — soda
  12. march — the month
  13. board — to get on
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — of law
  16. pop — to visit
  17. kick — in football
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. court — for sport
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. march — the month
  22. firm — a company
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pop — music

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