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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. game — wild animals
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. board — a committee
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mark — a trace
  8. perch — the fish
  9. march — music
  10. can — a tin
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. march — the month
  13. can — a tin
  14. scale — size or range
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. game — a match
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — in music
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. key — for a lock
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mark — a grade
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. board — to get on

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