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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. charge — electricity
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. drill — army training
  6. race — humankind
  7. charge — a price
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. press — to push
  10. race — the arms race
  11. press — newspapers
  12. drill — a practice
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. race — a contest
  16. drill — the tool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. press — a publisher
  19. row — to paddle
  20. charge — in control
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. row — a line
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pass — to spend time

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