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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. club — a group
  3. can — to be able to
  4. race — the arms race
  5. club — for golf
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. last — final
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — a permit
  11. race — humankind
  12. last — to go on
  13. cell — in biology
  14. can — a tin
  15. club — for dancing
  16. mark — a grade
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. last — finally
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. race — a contest
  23. cell — a phone
  24. can — a tin

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