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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — humankind
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. object — a thing
  10. march — music
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. squash — to crush
  13. march — the month
  14. object — to protest
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. march — the month
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. race — the arms race
  23. squash — the sport
  24. object — an aim

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