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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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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: pass · race · fall · nail · mine · can · ruler · wax

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mine — for digging
  4. race — humankind
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. can — to be able to
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. can — a tin
  11. race — a contest
  12. wax — to grow
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. can — a tin
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. race — the arms race
  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