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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. charge — a price
  6. march — the month
  7. stem — to come from
  8. last — to go on
  9. board — to get on
  10. bass — low music
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bear — the animal
  14. charge — electricity
  15. last — final
  16. march — the month
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. charge — in control
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bear — the animal
  21. last — finally
  22. dip — to sink
  23. board — a committee
  24. bear — to put up with

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