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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. march — music
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. chair — a leader
  5. wound — an injury
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. pound — a weight
  8. march — the month
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. chip — for betting
  12. march — the month
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. firm — decided
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pass — a permit
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. firm — a company
  21. chip — to eat
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  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