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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · lie · wound · rock · race · march · safe · deal

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rock — music
  3. march — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. deal — to handle
  10. march — the month
  11. rest — what's left
  12. race — humankind
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. race — the arms race
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rock — a stone
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. lie — to recline
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. race — a contest
  24. safe — a strongbox

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