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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · board · stick · march · game · ball · leaves · race

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. race — the arms race
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. race — a contest
  9. game — a match
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. race — humankind
  12. board — a committee
  13. march — the month
  14. ball — a great time
  15. march — the month
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ball — a dance
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. game — wild animals
  23. board — to get on
  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