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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. race — humankind
  3. lean — to bend
  4. pop — music
  5. lean — thin
  6. track — a song
  7. board — to get on
  8. track — a path
  9. prune — to trim
  10. board — a committee
  11. track — to keep track
  12. prune — to trim
  13. key — in music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pop — soda
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. race — a contest
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. suit — clothes
  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