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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: race · drill · bay · file · staff · pass · bass · toast

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. race — humankind
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. staff — employees
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. file — a tool
  9. staff — employees
  10. drill — a practice
  11. staff — a stick
  12. toast — bread
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pass — a permit
  17. race — a contest
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. drill — army training
  22. race — the arms race
  23. file — a document
  24. bass — low music

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