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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. pop — soda
  3. lean — thin
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. race — the arms race
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rest — a break
  10. pop — music
  11. race — humankind
  12. pitch — completely
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. race — a contest
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pop — to visit
  22. roll — a list
  23. bear — the animal
  24. key — for a lock

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