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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. charge — electricity
  5. root — of a plant
  6. race — humankind
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wound — an injury
  10. race — the arms race
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. root — the cause
  17. charge — a price
  18. root — of a word
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. race — a contest

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