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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. present — a gift
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. race — the arms race
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. present — there
  9. court — of a king
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. court — of law
  12. track — a song
  13. bass — the fish
  14. track — a path
  15. race — a contest
  16. bass — low music
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. court — for sport
  21. rush — hurry
  22. present — the time now
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. race — humankind

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