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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bore — to tire
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. board — to get on
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. march — the month
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. kick — in football
  14. board — a committee
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rash — hasty
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. rash — a series
  20. bore — to drill
  21. scale — in music
  22. bat — the animal
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. march — 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