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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. season — of the year
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. board — a committee
  10. season — in sport
  11. march — the month
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. march — music
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. march — the month
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. stock — goods
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — shares
  24. pitcher — a jug

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