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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 116 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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. board — to get on
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. field — a subject
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. pop — soda
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. race — a contest
  14. pitch — completely
  15. sharp — clever
  16. field — for sport
  17. pass — a permit
  18. rash — a series
  19. field — farmland
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pop — music

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