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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ball — a great time
  3. key — the most important part
  4. track — a path
  5. bank — for money
  6. firm — steady
  7. ball — a dance
  8. root — the cause
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bank — for money
  11. race — the arms race
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. firm — a company
  14. chip — for betting
  15. root — of a word
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. bank — of a river
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — a contest
  21. chip — to eat
  22. root — of a plant
  23. track — a song
  24. firm — decided

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