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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pitch — completely
  5. race — humankind
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — a contest
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. object — an aim
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. face — to confront
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. object — a thing
  21. date — the fruit
  22. pass — a permit
  23. object — to protest
  24. date — on the calendar

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