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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. march — the month
  3. bore — to drill
  4. race — the arms race
  5. march — the month
  6. can — to be able to
  7. rash — a series
  8. bound — certain
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rash — hasty
  11. race — humankind
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — obliged
  14. can — a tin
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. face — to confront
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. march — music
  20. can — a tin
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bore — to tire
  23. face — to point toward
  24. race — a contest

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