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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. track — a path
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. last — final
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. last — finally
  11. track — to keep track
  12. craft — a skill
  13. rule — a law
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. last — to go on
  16. track — a song
  17. rule — government
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. race — a contest
  22. band — a music group
  23. race — humankind
  24. band — a ring

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