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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. race — the arms race
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. can — to be able to
  6. race — humankind
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. present — a gift
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. can — a tin
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. game — wild animals
  16. race — a contest
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. can — a tin
  21. game — a match
  22. present — there
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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