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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. board — a committee
  3. field — a subject
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rest — a break
  8. root — of a word
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — farmland
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. root — the cause
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. march — the month
  19. root — of a plant
  20. march — music
  21. board — to get on
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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