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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. suit — to fit
  5. race — humankind
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. capital — a city
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. capital — money
  16. fork — in a road
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — the arms race
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. wake — a trail
  24. suit — clothes

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