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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. race — humankind
  7. charge — a price
  8. file — a document
  9. race — a contest
  10. face — to confront
  11. key — the most important part
  12. face — to point toward
  13. key — in music
  14. charge — in control
  15. race — the arms race
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. drill — a practice
  18. charge — electricity
  19. file — a line of people
  20. drill — the tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. drill — army training
  23. file — a tool
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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