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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 120 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 shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rock — music
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. race — a contest
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. race — the arms race
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. club — for dancing
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. race — humankind
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. rush — hurry

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