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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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. face — to confront
  3. cold — not warm
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. march — the month
  6. firm — a company
  7. march — the month
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. face — part of the head
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. charge — a price
  17. suit — clothes
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cold — an illness
  22. race — humankind
  23. suit — in cards
  24. march — music

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