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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. race — a contest
  3. can — a tin
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. can — a tin
  7. race — the arms race
  8. present — there
  9. mark — a grade
  10. can — to be able to
  11. present — a gift
  12. march — the month
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pit — in a race
  15. stock — shares
  16. rest — what's left
  17. march — music
  18. pit — a hole
  19. present — the time now
  20. stock — goods
  21. rest — a break
  22. race — humankind
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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