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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. race — the arms race
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. row — a line
  9. race — humankind
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. suit — to fit
  15. race — a contest
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rule — a law
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. row — to paddle
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rule — government

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