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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 124 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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. race — humankind
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mark — a trace
  5. land — to come down
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. present — there
  10. race — the arms race
  11. mark — a grade
  12. land — a country
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. present — a gift
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. land — ground
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. race — a contest
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fall — the season
  22. present — the time now
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pass — a permit

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