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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. charge — a price
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bear — the animal
  5. roll — a cake
  6. content — the amount
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. charge — in control
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. race — a contest
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stand — to bear
  18. race — humankind
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. roll — a list
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — happy
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bear — to put up with

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