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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. march — music
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. press — to push
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. press — a publisher
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. board — a committee
  13. march — the month
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — a coil
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. tube — a container
  18. board — to get on
  19. spring — of water
  20. press — newspapers
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. tube — the underground

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