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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. key — for a lock
  4. tube — the underground
  5. race — the arms race
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. suit — in cards
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. key — in music
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. race — humankind
  14. stock — shares
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. suit — clothes
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stock — goods
  21. tube — a container
  22. bark — to shout
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. suit — to fit

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