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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. march — music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rule — a law
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rule — government
  22. band — a music group
  23. plane — a tool
  24. band — a ring

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