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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: cabinet · rush · fan · plane · bore · game · race · pass

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. rush — hurry
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — the arms race
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bore — to drill
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pass — a permit

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