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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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. staff — a stick
  3. race — the arms race
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. march — the month
  7. can — a tin
  8. scale — in music
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. scale — size or range
  12. can — a tin
  13. capital — money
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. staff — employees
  18. race — humankind
  19. capital — a city
  20. race — a contest
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — to be able to
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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