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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: race · staff · drill · pass · snap · pitch · can · fan

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. staff — employees
  3. drill — army training
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. staff — employees
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. can — to be able to
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. snap — to click
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. race — humankind
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. drill — a practice
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. staff — a stick
  21. pitch — completely
  22. race — a contest
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — to spend time

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