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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. capital — a city
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rush — hurry
  9. march — the month
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. march — the month
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. race — the arms race
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. snap — to click
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. race — humankind
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. race — a contest
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. capital — money

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