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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. staff — employees
  5. race — a contest
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. staff — employees
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. row — to paddle
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — clothes
  16. race — the arms race
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cell — a phone
  19. staff — a stick
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pass — a permit
  22. rest — a break
  23. race — humankind
  24. row — a line

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