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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. club — for dancing
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. race — humankind
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. race — a contest
  15. suit — in cards
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. suit — to fit
  18. club — for golf
  19. stand — to bear
  20. race — the arms race
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wind — moving air
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. suit — clothes

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