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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · mark · firm · hide · pass · craft · swing · race

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. firm — steady
  3. race — a contest
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. swing — in golf
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pass — a permit
  10. firm — decided
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. craft — a skill
  15. race — humankind
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mark — a grade
  20. swing — music
  21. race — the arms race
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. swing — to play on
  24. firm — a company

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