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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. hand — help
  6. pass — a permit
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. chair — a leader
  18. lie — to recline
  19. hand — in cards
  20. race — a contest
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. race — humankind
  24. rush — hurry

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