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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. board — to get on
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. scale — in music
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. charge — electricity
  10. wound — an injury
  11. march — the month
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. march — music
  17. wound — an injury
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. charge — a price
  20. scale — size or range
  21. charge — in control
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. board — a committee
  24. scale — for weighing

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