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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — a practice
  4. kick — in football
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. race — the arms race
  7. drill — the tool
  8. press — newspapers
  9. key — the most important part
  10. game — a match
  11. wound — an injury
  12. game — wild animals
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. press — to push
  16. wound — an injury
  17. press — a publisher
  18. key — for a lock
  19. race — humankind
  20. ball — a great time
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. ball — a dance
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. race — a contest

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