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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 is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. key — in music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. race — humankind
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. race — the arms race
  10. pound — a weight
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. swing — to play on
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rock — music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. swing — music
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. race — a contest
  23. rock — a stone
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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