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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. march — the month
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to tire
  7. swing — in golf
  8. stock — goods
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bore — to drill
  12. march — the month
  13. cap — a lid
  14. spell — magic
  15. board — to get on
  16. cap — a hat
  17. swing — music
  18. board — a committee
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. cap — of ice
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — shares
  24. swing — to play 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