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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.

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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bore — to drill
  4. race — humankind
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rash — hasty
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. race — the arms race
  9. chip — to eat
  10. key — in music
  11. rash — a series
  12. rest — what's left
  13. race — a contest
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bore — to tire
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rest — a break

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