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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. ground — a position
  3. march — music
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. march — the month
  7. mug — a face
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mug — a cup
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. march — the month
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. race — humankind
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bear — the animal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ground — crushed

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