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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pass — a permit
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. current — electric
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. race — the arms race
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. drill — a practice
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. race — a contest
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. race — humankind
  16. current — happening now
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. current — of water
  20. chip — to eat
  21. kick — in football
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bat — the animal

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