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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 · rule · ground · foot · race · wave · hand · fan

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ground — crushed
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rule — government
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. rule — a law
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. race — a contest
  11. ground — a position
  12. race — humankind
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. hand — in cards
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. ground — the earth
  21. hand — help
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pass — a permit
  24. foot — a measure

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