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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. present — the time now
  6. race — a contest
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. march — music
  10. race — the arms race
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cue — for pool
  15. march — the month
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rest — what's left
  18. race — humankind
  19. saw — the tool
  20. present — a gift
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mug — a face
  23. track — a path
  24. present — there

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