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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. drill — the tool
  3. mug — to rob
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bear — the animal
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — army training
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. race — humankind
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bear — the animal
  12. key — in music
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. race — a contest
  17. pop — to visit
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mug — a face
  20. pop — music
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pop — soda
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mug — a cup

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