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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. board — to get on
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. board — a committee
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. root — of a word
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. root — the cause
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stock — goods
  17. march — the month
  18. degree — an amount
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. degree — from a university
  22. march — music
  23. degree — temperature
  24. safe — a strongbox

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