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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. race — a contest
  3. key — in music
  4. race — humankind
  5. mug — a face
  6. race — the arms race
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. key — for a lock
  9. current — happening now
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. shower — to wash
  14. key — the most important part
  15. shower — rain
  16. band — a music group
  17. current — electric
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mine — for digging
  20. current — of water
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. band — a ring
  24. cue — a signal

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