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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. last — to go on
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — a group
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. key — for a lock
  8. race — humankind
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. charge — a price
  11. club — for dancing
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. key — in music
  16. bear — the animal
  17. key — the most important part
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. last — finally
  21. toast — bread
  22. bear — the animal
  23. last — final
  24. race — a contest

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