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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. march — the month
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — a contest
  8. game — a match
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cold — not warm
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. foot — a measure
  17. race — humankind
  18. cold — an illness
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. suit — to fit
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. march — music
  24. pound — a weight

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