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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. march — the month
  3. suit — clothes
  4. file — a document
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. file — a tool
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. file — a line of people
  9. board — to get on
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fall — to drop
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wax — to grow
  14. march — the month
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. fall — the season
  17. board — a committee
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. suit — to fit
  21. march — music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pitch — completely

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