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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 120 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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. capital — money
  6. pass — a permit
  7. race — a contest
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pitch — completely
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. suit — to fit
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pop — soda
  18. capital — a city
  19. pop — music
  20. race — humankind
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. file — a document
  23. capital — a big letter
  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