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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. ground — crushed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ground — the earth
  8. race — a contest
  9. field — a subject
  10. race — the arms race
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. ground — a position
  15. field — for sport
  16. race — humankind
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. capital — a city
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. field — farmland
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. capital — money
  24. straw — dry grass

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