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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. race — humankind
  3. plane — a tool
  4. suit — clothes
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — to drop
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — the arms race
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. march — the month
  12. suit — in cards
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. suit — to fit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. march — the month
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fall — the season
  24. racket — for tennis

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