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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. race — humankind
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cold — an illness
  11. mark — a trace
  12. key — for a lock
  13. lie — to recline
  14. cold — not warm
  15. suit — in cards
  16. key — in music
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. mark — a grade
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. content — happy
  22. content — the amount
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — the arms race

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