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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. face — part of the head
  4. race — humankind
  5. rash — hasty
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. face — to point toward
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. suit — in cards
  13. race — the arms race
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. squash — to crush
  16. face — to confront
  17. suit — to fit
  18. race — a contest
  19. craft — boats
  20. rash — a series
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. craft — a skill

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