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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. race — humankind
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. snap — to click
  9. vault — a safe
  10. race — a contest
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. rock — a stone
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rock — music
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rush — hurry
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. race — the arms race

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