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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. race — a contest
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. face — part of the head
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stem — to come from
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. tube — the underground
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. key — in music
  16. face — to confront
  17. snap — to click
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. face — to point toward
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — a container
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a car

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