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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. 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. root — of a plant
  3. bear — the animal
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — a contest
  6. tube — a container
  7. cue — a hint
  8. tube — the underground
  9. key — for a lock
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cue — a signal
  13. key — in music
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bear — the animal
  16. root — the cause
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cue — for pool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. root — of a word
  24. 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