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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rest — what's left
  4. race — humankind
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. key — for a lock
  8. race — the arms race
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. capital — money
  12. prune — to trim
  13. roll — a cake
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. capital — a city
  16. squash — to crush
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. key — in music
  19. roll — a list
  20. race — a contest
  21. key — the most important part
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. squash — the sport

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