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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. field — a subject
  3. race — humankind
  4. field — farmland
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. field — for sport
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. race — a contest
  13. key — for a lock
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wake — a trail
  16. scale — size or range
  17. can — a tin
  18. key — in music
  19. scale — in music
  20. can — a tin
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. race — the arms race
  24. safe — out of danger

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