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

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. pound — a weight
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. race — the arms race
  5. key — in music
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. key — the most important part
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. race — humankind
  14. wake — a trail
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. key — for a lock

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