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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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mate — a partner
  4. fine — high quality
  5. race — humankind
  6. foot — a measure
  7. fine — all right
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mate — a friend
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. march — the month
  13. firm — decided
  14. march — the month
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pit — a hole
  17. march — music
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. race — the arms race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. firm — steady
  22. pit — in a race
  23. race — a contest
  24. mate — to breed

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