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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. roll — a list
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. date — the fruit
  9. race — humankind
  10. pitch — completely
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. firm — decided
  13. march — the month
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. firm — steady
  18. race — a contest
  19. race — the arms race
  20. plane — a tool
  21. firm — a company
  22. march — the month
  23. roll — a cake
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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