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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. press — to push
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. wake — a trail
  9. snap — to click
  10. mug — to rob
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wind — moving air
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. press — newspapers
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. race — the arms race
  19. press — a publisher
  20. race — humankind
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — hasty

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