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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. net — in sport
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. race — the arms race
  5. net — after costs
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — a group
  8. stand — to bear
  9. race — humankind
  10. net — for catching
  11. pop — to visit
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. race — a contest
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — soda
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pass — a permit
  24. leaves — of a tree

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