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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. current — of water
  4. key — the most important part
  5. current — happening now
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. current — electric
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. race — a contest
  16. rash — a series
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rash — hasty
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. race — humankind
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. deal — an agreement

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