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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · march · suit · temple · ground · board · mouse · wind

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. board — a committee
  5. wind — moving air
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. ground — crushed
  11. suit — clothes
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. board — to get on
  15. march — music
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. march — the month
  19. suit — to fit
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. wind — moving air
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. ground — a position

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