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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. key — for a lock
  3. race — a contest
  4. staff — a stick
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. key — in music
  7. drill — army training
  8. rush — hurry
  9. drill — the tool
  10. lie — to recline
  11. key — the most important part
  12. prune — to trim
  13. drill — a practice
  14. staff — employees
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. staff — employees
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. race — the arms race

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