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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. key — in music
  3. object — to protest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. field — a subject
  7. race — a contest
  8. scale — size or range
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. field — for sport
  11. pop — to visit
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. object — a thing
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pop — soda
  16. scale — in music
  17. pop — music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. race — humankind
  22. craft — boats
  23. field — farmland
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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