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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: straw · sharp · pass · cabinet · pit · key · race · stand

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. key — in music
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. race — humankind
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. key — the most important part
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. race — a contest
  16. stand — to bear
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pit — a hole
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pass — a permit
  24. sharp — exactly

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