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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pass — a permit
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. board — a committee
  6. race — a contest
  7. bass — the fish
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. current — of water
  12. board — to get on
  13. bass — low music
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. current — happening now
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. current — electric

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