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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. content — happy
  3. current — electric
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — the arms race
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rush — hurry
  15. content — the amount
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. march — the month
  19. current — happening now
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. current — of water

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