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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 120 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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. scale — in music
  3. tube — the underground
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. key — for a lock
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. key — the most important part
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. race — the arms race
  12. tube — a container
  13. scale — size or range
  14. plane — a tool
  15. land — to come down
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. land — a country
  19. race — humankind
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. key — in music
  22. land — ground
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. race — a contest

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