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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. race — humankind
  3. last — finally
  4. can — a tin
  5. march — the month
  6. bank — for money
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. last — final
  10. bank — of a river
  11. race — the arms race
  12. can — a tin
  13. race — a contest
  14. degree — an amount
  15. suit — in cards
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — in football
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — from a university
  20. can — to be able to
  21. march — the month
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. march — music
  24. bank — for 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