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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pass — a permit
  3. present — a gift
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. race — humankind
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. face — part of the head
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. race — a contest
  10. fall — to drop
  11. face — to confront
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. toast — bread
  14. fall — to drop
  15. present — there
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. fall — the season
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. game — a match
  20. face — to point toward
  21. race — the arms race
  22. game — wild animals
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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