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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. race — humankind
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. field — a subject
  9. march — the month
  10. race — a contest
  11. march — music
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. race — the arms race
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. march — the month
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. field — farmland
  24. field — for sport

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