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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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. race — a contest
  3. swing — to play on
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. cue — a signal
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. wake — a trail
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. race — humankind
  15. swing — in golf
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. march — the month
  18. cue — for pool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. race — the arms race
  24. swing — 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