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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. ground — the earth
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. key — in music
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pitch — completely
  12. race — a contest
  13. track — a song
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. race — humankind
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. ground — a position
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. race — the arms race
  21. track — a path
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — for a lock

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