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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. march — the month
  6. race — humankind
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. ground — a position
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. march — music
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. race — the arms race
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. key — for a lock
  16. march — the month
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. key — in music
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. ground — crushed
  23. toast — bread
  24. key — the most important part

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