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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. prune — to trim
  3. race — humankind
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bear — the animal
  7. race — the arms race
  8. lie — to recline
  9. staff — employees
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. staff — employees
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. race — a contest
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rock — music
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. march — the month
  23. bear — the animal
  24. prune — to trim

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