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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. land — a country
  3. can — a tin
  4. race — the arms race
  5. land — ground
  6. race — a contest
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. race — humankind
  10. season — in sport
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pass — a permit
  13. season — of the year
  14. cue — for pool
  15. face — to confront
  16. land — to come down
  17. face — part of the head
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. face — to point toward
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. cue — a hint

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