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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. key — for a lock
  5. race — the arms race
  6. board — to get on
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. board — a committee
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wound — an injury
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. suit — to fit
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. key — in music
  17. race — a contest
  18. key — the most important part

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