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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. club — a group
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. track — to keep track
  5. squash — to crush
  6. track — a song
  7. march — the month
  8. race — a contest
  9. march — music
  10. row — a line
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. race — the arms race
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. club — for golf
  18. track — a path
  19. club — for dancing
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. march — the month

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