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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: ruler · track · lie · cap · snap · race · pass · fan

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. track — a path
  9. cap — a hat
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. track — a song
  13. race — the arms race
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cap — a lid
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — a contest
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. lie — to recline
  24. cap — of ice

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