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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 120 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 · mark · rule · spell · spring · pass · snap · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. spring — a coil
  4. mark — a grade
  5. race — the arms race
  6. spring — the season
  7. spell — letters
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. race — a contest
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to click
  15. pass — a permit
  16. foot — a measure
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. race — humankind
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. spring — of water
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — magic

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