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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. pitch — completely
  3. pop — to visit
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. court — of a king
  7. march — the month
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. band — a ring
  16. court — of law
  17. pop — soda
  18. mark — a trace
  19. court — for sport
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pop — music
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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