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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rule — a law
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rule — government
  12. race — humankind
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. track — to keep track
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. race — the arms race
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. race — a contest
  23. track — a path
  24. cabinet — ministers

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