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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. race — the arms race
  4. object — an aim
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. club — for dancing
  8. object — a thing
  9. sharp — clever
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. key — the most important part
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. race — humankind
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chair — a leader
  16. key — for a lock
  17. object — to protest
  18. race — a contest
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. club — for golf
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. club — a group
  23. key — in music
  24. stand — to bear

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