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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. race — humankind
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rock — music
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. stand — to bear
  19. key — for a lock
  20. race — a contest
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bass — the instrument

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