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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 116 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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. march — the month
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. race — humankind
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. march — the month
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pitch — completely
  18. march — music
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — to point toward
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. race — the arms race

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