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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. staff — a stick
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. march — the month
  5. face — part of the head
  6. march — the month
  7. can — a tin
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. board — a committee
  10. face — to confront
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. staff — employees
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. tube — the underground
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. staff — employees
  19. face — to point toward
  20. march — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. board — to get on
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. tube — a container

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