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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. race — humankind
  3. key — in music
  4. object — to protest
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — for a lock
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pop — soda
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pop — music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bound — certain
  14. rush — hurry
  15. object — a thing
  16. bound — obliged
  17. race — a contest
  18. pop — to visit
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — an aim
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bound — tied together
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. race — the arms race

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