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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. race — the arms race
  3. plane — a tool
  4. board — to get on
  5. key — in music
  6. bank — for money
  7. key — for a lock
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. race — a contest
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. board — a committee
  13. kick — in football
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. key — the most important part
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. race — humankind
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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