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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rush — hurry
  8. fine — all right
  9. chest — a box
  10. race — humankind
  11. fine — high quality
  12. chest — of your body
  13. last — to go on
  14. race — a contest
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pass — a permit
  18. last — final
  19. chest — of your body
  20. race — the arms race
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. last — finally

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