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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. board — to get on
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. tube — a container
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. toast — bread
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. march — the month
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. march — the month
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. fan — a supporter

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