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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 120 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. suit — clothes
  4. race — a contest
  5. board — a committee
  6. root — of a word
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. suit — to fit
  11. root — of a plant
  12. key — in music
  13. board — to get on
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. race — humankind
  16. last — finally
  17. cell — in biology
  18. last — to go on
  19. cell — a phone
  20. race — the arms race
  21. root — the cause
  22. last — final
  23. suit — in cards
  24. key — for a lock

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