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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. march — music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. firm — a company
  5. current — electric
  6. dip — to sink
  7. firm — decided
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. march — the month
  10. race — a contest
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. race — humankind
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. stock — shares
  18. current — of water
  19. march — the month
  20. current — happening now
  21. race — the arms race
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. season — of the year
  24. stock — goods

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