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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. board — to get on
  3. fall — the season
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. board — a committee
  9. present — the time now
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. race — humankind
  12. content — happy
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. fall — to drop
  16. content — the amount
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. race — a contest
  20. snap — to click
  21. present — there
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. present — a gift

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