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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. spell — letters
  3. court — of law
  4. spell — magic
  5. present — the time now
  6. court — of a king
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. spell — a short time
  9. court — for sport
  10. foot — a measure
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. present — there
  14. can — a tin
  15. race — humankind
  16. can — a tin
  17. present — a gift
  18. race — a contest
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. suit — to fit
  23. race — the arms race
  24. foot — part of the body

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