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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. race — humankind
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to click
  12. race — a contest
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. race — the arms race
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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