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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: board · race · chest · fine · bay · pass · charge · firm

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. fine — all right
  4. race — a contest
  5. firm — steady
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. firm — a company
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. chest — a box
  12. charge — in control
  13. race — humankind
  14. chest — of your body
  15. firm — decided
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. board — to get on
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pass — a permit
  20. board — a committee
  21. charge — a price
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. fine — high quality

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