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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. spring — a coil
  4. charge — electricity
  5. spring — of water
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. face — to confront
  8. firm — decided
  9. race — humankind
  10. current — of water
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. current — happening now
  13. face — to point toward
  14. charge — a price
  15. race — the arms race
  16. current — electric
  17. spring — the season
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. charge — in control
  21. face — part of the head
  22. firm — steady
  23. pass — a permit
  24. race — a contest

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