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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. chip — to eat
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. race — humankind
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. key — for a lock
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. race — a contest
  24. branch — a division

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