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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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468
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bound — obliged
  5. march — the month
  6. bound — certain
  7. race — humankind
  8. club — a group
  9. march — the month
  10. kid — child
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mark — a grade
  13. race — a contest
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. kid — to tease
  16. mark — a trace
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. club — for golf
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. march — music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bound — tied together
  24. club — for dancing

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