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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. can — a tin
  4. snap — to click
  5. can — a tin
  6. court — of a king
  7. plane — a tool
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. rest — what's left
  10. season — in sport
  11. court — of law
  12. march — music
  13. board — to get on
  14. season — of the year
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. can — to be able to
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. march — the month
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. board — a committee
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. court — for sport
  24. plane — in geometry

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