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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 116 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 · game · pass · staff · bay · fork · suit · rule

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. race — humankind
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rule — a law
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. game — a match
  9. suit — to fit
  10. staff — employees
  11. suit — clothes
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. race — a contest
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. rule — government
  24. suit — in cards

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