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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. race — a contest
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bear — the animal
  8. firm — decided
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. race — humankind
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bear — the animal
  13. march — the month
  14. pop — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. firm — a company
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. race — the arms race
  21. march — the month
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pop — soda
  24. firm — steady

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