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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. march — music
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cue — a signal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. root — of a word
  18. march — the month
  19. root — the cause
  20. tube — the underground
  21. board — a committee
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. root — of a plant

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