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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — a contest
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. fine — all right
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. fine — high quality
  10. swing — music
  11. last — finally
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. race — humankind
  15. last — final
  16. swing — in golf
  17. last — to go on
  18. swing — to play on

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