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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 120 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. march — the month
  6. march — music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. chip — for betting
  22. board — to get on
  23. foot — a measure
  24. chip — to eat

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