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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: wind · pass · craft · race · lie · pop

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. craft — boats
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pop — soda
  9. craft — a skill
  10. race — a contest
  11. wind — moving air
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pop — to visit
  14. race — the arms race
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pass — a permit
  17. race — humankind
  18. pop — music

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