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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mark — a grade
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. mug — a face
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mark — a trace
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mug — a cup
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. race — humankind
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. field — farmland
  17. field — for sport
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. field — a subject
  23. race — a contest
  24. shower — rain

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