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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. suit — to fit
  3. track — to keep track
  4. saw — the tool
  5. key — the most important part
  6. suit — clothes
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. stem — to come from
  10. race — humankind
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. track — a path
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — to bear
  17. key — in music
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. track — a song
  22. race — a contest
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stand — on your feet

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