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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. march — the month
  3. face — to confront
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. swing — music
  6. race — a contest
  7. face — part of the head
  8. swing — in golf
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. swing — to play on
  17. march — music
  18. race — humankind
  19. stem — to come from
  20. march — the month
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stem — a stem cell

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