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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. race — a contest
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. saw — the tool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. board — a committee
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. saw — the tool
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rush — hurry
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. board — to get on
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. race — humankind
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. race — the arms race

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