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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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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: race · fall · pop · ruler · stand · charge · pass · plane

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. fall — to drop
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pop — to visit
  6. charge — in control
  7. plane — a tool
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — a contest
  11. stand — to bear
  12. charge — a price
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pop — music
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. charge — electricity
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pop — soda
  20. race — the arms race
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fall — the season
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pass — to spend time

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