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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. last — to go on
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. march — the month
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. march — music
  15. race — humankind
  16. last — final
  17. race — a contest
  18. bulb — for light
  19. march — the month
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. stand — to bear
  22. race — the arms race
  23. last — finally
  24. mark — a grade

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