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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 116 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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. charge — electricity
  5. firm — a company
  6. mine — for digging
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. march — music
  11. charge — a price
  12. race — humankind
  13. march — the month
  14. race — the arms race
  15. object — an aim
  16. charge — in control
  17. object — a thing
  18. court — of law
  19. court — of a king
  20. firm — steady
  21. race — a contest
  22. object — to protest
  23. court — for sport
  24. firm — decided

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