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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 116 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. saw — the tool
  3. file — a document
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. charge — electricity
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. file — a tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. present — the time now
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. present — there
  16. present — a gift
  17. charge — in control
  18. race — the arms race
  19. saw — the tool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. charge — a price
  22. pass — a permit
  23. race — a contest
  24. snap — to click

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