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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. present — the time now
  3. pass — a permit
  4. squash — to crush
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. race — humankind
  8. present — a gift
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. craft — boats
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. present — there
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. squash — the sport
  18. race — a contest
  19. firm — a company
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rush — hurry
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. race — the arms race

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