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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 116 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bear — the animal
  3. race — a contest
  4. mark — a grade
  5. race — humankind
  6. bear — the animal
  7. march — the month
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. march — the month
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pitch — completely
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. mark — a trace
  20. march — music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. ruler — for measuring

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