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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. charge — in control
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. file — a document
  12. race — humankind
  13. charge — electricity
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bank — for money
  16. race — a contest
  17. drill — a practice
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. race — the arms race
  23. charge — a price
  24. wax — to grow

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