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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cue — for pool
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cue — a signal
  10. board — a committee
  11. cue — a hint
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of a king
  16. march — the month
  17. court — of law
  18. vault — a safe
  19. march — music
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bank — for money
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. board — to get on

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