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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 120 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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. race — a contest
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. land — to come down
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pass — a permit
  9. chip — to eat
  10. land — a country
  11. race — the arms race
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. land — ground
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. face — part of the head
  16. race — humankind
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. face — to point toward
  21. snap — to click
  22. chip — for betting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. face — to confront

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