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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. track — to keep track
  3. race — the arms race
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. shower — to wash
  6. race — humankind
  7. shower — rain
  8. pass — a permit
  9. vault — a safe
  10. track — a song
  11. track — a path
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — clever
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. race — a contest
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. shower — a meteor shower

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