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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. kick — in football
  4. race — the arms race
  5. field — for sport
  6. race — a contest
  7. bulb — for light
  8. season — in sport
  9. ball — a dance
  10. season — of the year
  11. saw — the tool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. field — farmland
  14. race — humankind
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. field — a subject
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. key — the most important part
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. key — in music

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