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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. race — the arms race
  5. march — the month
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bore — to drill
  8. shower — to wash
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. race — humankind
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. wound — an injury
  17. shower — rain
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. suit — in cards
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bore — to tire
  22. race — a contest
  23. march — music
  24. cabinet — ministers

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