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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. current — electric
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pass — a permit
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. suit — clothes
  12. current — of water
  13. sharp — clever
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. race — the arms race
  16. suit — in cards
  17. snap — to click
  18. current — happening now
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. toast — bread
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. race — a contest
  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