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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. root — the cause
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. current — happening now
  6. race — the arms race
  7. staff — a stick
  8. wax — to grow
  9. squash — the sport
  10. root — of a plant
  11. march — the month
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — a contest
  14. staff — employees
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. root — of a word
  17. squash — to crush
  18. march — the month
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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