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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. sharp — clever
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. root — the cause
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. race — the arms race
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. spell — a short time
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wax — to grow
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. race — humankind
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — letters
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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