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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: pass · rule · racket · suit · wave · jam · object · race

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. race — a contest
  7. rule — a law
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. race — humankind
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. race — the arms race
  18. suit — to fit
  19. object — an aim
  20. rule — government
  21. pass — a permit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. jam — in traffic

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