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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. race — a contest
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. rest — a break
  7. pound — a weight
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to click
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. race — humankind
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bulb — for light
  20. race — the arms race
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. rest — what's left
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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