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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: present · suit · race · pass · band · lean · stock · hand

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. hand — help
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. present — a gift
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. race — the arms race
  8. pass — a permit
  9. lean — thin
  10. race — a contest
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. present — there
  14. band — a ring
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. band — a music group
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. stock — goods
  20. lean — to bend
  21. hand — in cards
  22. stock — shares
  23. suit — clothes
  24. present — the time now

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