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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rest — a break
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. capital — a city
  9. march — music
  10. pitch — completely
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. board — to get on
  15. rest — what's left
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. march — the month
  19. capital — money
  20. board — a committee
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a match
  24. rest — what's left

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