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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · swing · pass · cabinet · wind · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. object — an aim
  3. race — humankind
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. swing — to play on
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. swing — music
  9. race — a contest
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. swing — in golf
  13. object — to protest
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. object — a thing

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