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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. race — the arms race
  3. key — in music
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bank — of a river
  6. key — for a lock
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. race — humankind
  9. ball — a dance
  10. board — a committee
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bank — for money
  14. race — a contest
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. board — to get on
  17. bank — for money
  18. wake — a trail

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