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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cue — for pool
  3. present — the time now
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. cue — a signal
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — a contest
  10. wound — an injury
  11. present — there
  12. cue — a hint
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. race — the arms race
  19. present — a gift
  20. rash — a series
  21. wound — an injury
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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