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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pop — to visit
  3. race — a contest
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. race — humankind
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. object — a thing
  11. pop — soda
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. key — for a lock
  16. object — an aim
  17. race — the arms race
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. key — in music
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. object — to protest
  24. pop — music

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