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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. key — in music
  3. mate — to breed
  4. rest — a break
  5. mate — a partner
  6. key — the most important part
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. firm — a company
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. firm — decided
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. key — for a lock
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — humankind
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. race — a contest
  20. kid — child
  21. firm — steady
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. kid — to tease
  24. rest — what's left

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