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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 120 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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bass — low music
  4. swing — to play on
  5. key — the most important part
  6. race — a contest
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. key — in music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. pass — a permit
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fall — to drop
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. race — the arms race
  19. fall — to drop
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fall — the season
  22. swing — music
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. suit — in cards

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