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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. race — the arms race
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. suit — to fit
  7. club — a group
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. race — humankind
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. race — a contest
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. chest — a box
  20. suit — in cards
  21. key — for a lock
  22. stand — to bear
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — for golf

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