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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. lean — thin
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — the arms race
  6. suit — in cards
  7. drill — army training
  8. fine — all right
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — the animal
  12. suit — to fit
  13. race — a contest
  14. file — a line of people
  15. pass — a permit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fine — high quality
  18. file — a document
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. drill — the tool
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. file — a tool

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