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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. board — to get on
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — government
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — farmland
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. prune — to trim
  19. field — a subject
  20. march — music
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. board — a committee
  24. rule — to rule out

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