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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 120 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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Word bank
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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 · fine · track · ground · race · coach · game · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. ground — crushed
  3. pass — a permit
  4. race — humankind
  5. game — wild animals
  6. object — a thing
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ground — a position
  10. race — a contest
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. race — the arms race
  18. track — a path
  19. ground — the earth
  20. object — to protest
  21. fine — all right
  22. object — an aim
  23. game — a match
  24. coach — a trainer

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