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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 124 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 piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. key — in music
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. squash — to crush
  7. current — happening now
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. cue — for pool
  12. net — in sport
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. net — after costs
  17. squash — the sport
  18. race — humankind
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. race — the arms race
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. key — the most important part
  24. net — for catching

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