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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: can · mine · march · suit · board · cell · root · game

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. game — a match
  4. can — to be able to
  5. march — music
  6. root — of a word
  7. cell — in biology
  8. suit — clothes
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. root — of a plant
  11. can — a tin
  12. cell — a phone
  13. suit — to fit
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — for digging
  18. root — the cause
  19. board — a committee
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. suit — in cards
  22. march — the month
  23. board — to get on
  24. can — a tin

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