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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — a committee
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ground — a position
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. march — the month
  15. foot — a measure
  16. rush — hurry
  17. ground — the earth
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. ground — crushed
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. march — the month

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