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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. board — to get on
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. race — humankind
  5. key — for a lock
  6. sharp — clever
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. scale — in music
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a document
  16. key — in music
  17. file — a tool
  18. scale — size or range
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. race — a contest
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. board — a committee

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