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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. current — electric
  4. band — a music group
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bass — low music
  10. race — a contest
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bass — the fish
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. current — of water
  19. pass — a permit
  20. band — a ring
  21. race — humankind
  22. current — happening now
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bass — the instrument

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