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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 116 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. file — a tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. race — a contest
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. object — to protest
  7. saw — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. file — a line of people
  10. key — for a lock
  11. object — a thing
  12. saw — the tool
  13. file — a document
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. race — humankind
  17. stock — goods
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. drill — a practice
  21. object — an aim
  22. drill — the tool
  23. key — the most important part
  24. stock — shares

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