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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. march — the month
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. firm — decided
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. march — the month
  10. cell — in biology
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. march — music
  20. board — to get on
  21. firm — steady
  22. board — a committee
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. track — a song

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