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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. key — for a lock
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rock — a stone
  12. last — to go on
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. last — final
  18. last — finally
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. race — the arms race
  24. root — of a word

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