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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. club — a group
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. race — the arms race
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. march — the month
  8. club — for golf
  9. plane — a tool
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rule — a law
  13. race — a contest
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rule — government
  16. spell — magic
  17. club — for dancing
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. spell — letters
  20. race — humankind
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. march — the month
  24. mouse — the animal

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