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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bound — obliged
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. race — humankind
  9. key — for a lock
  10. sharp — clever
  11. fork — in a road
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bound — tied together
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. saw — the tool
  16. key — in music
  17. race — the arms race
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bound — certain
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. key — the most important part
  24. safe — out of danger

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