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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. net — in sport
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. race — the arms race
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. toast — bread
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. march — the month
  16. net — after costs
  17. board — to get on
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — a contest
  20. game — wild animals
  21. board — a committee
  22. net — for catching
  23. march — music
  24. game — a match

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