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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. squash — the vegetable
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. race — the arms race
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pass — a permit
  8. squash — the sport
  9. spring — a coil
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. squash — to crush
  12. race — humankind
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pitch — completely
  16. race — a contest
  17. spring — the season
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. spring — of water
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pass — to spend time
  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