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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. row — to paddle
  3. drill — army training
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. foot — a measure
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. drill — a practice
  9. key — in music
  10. race — humankind
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. tear — to rip
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. race — a contest
  16. key — the most important part
  17. row — a line
  18. key — for a lock
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — from crying
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. date — the fruit
  23. drill — the tool
  24. toast — bread

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