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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. march — the month
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. root — the cause
  7. stand — to bear
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. race — humankind
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. root — of a word
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. race — the arms race
  15. root — of a plant
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided
  19. race — a contest
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. firm — a company
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. cell — in biology
  24. toast — bread

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