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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 120 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. track — a song
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. chair — a leader
  6. track — to keep track
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. race — the arms race
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bore — to drill
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bore — to tire
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. race — humankind
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. track — a path
  24. dip — to sink

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