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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. key — in music
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. pound — a weight
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. squash — to crush
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. track — a song
  13. rock — music
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. race — humankind
  16. key — the most important part
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. squash — the sport
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rock — a stone
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. toast — bread
  23. race — a contest
  24. pound — to hit hard

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