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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: fall · pass · race · sharp · wind · rush · suit · cabinet

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. wind — moving air
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. race — the arms race
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. sharp — clever
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rush — hurry
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. suit — to fit
  14. race — a contest
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. fall — to drop
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. race — humankind
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pass — to succeed
  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