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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. date — the fruit
  6. perch — the fish
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. drill — army training
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. board — a committee
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. firm — decided
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. firm — a company
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. firm — steady

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