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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. wind — to turn a key
  2. key — in music
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. roll — a list
  8. ball — a dance
  9. race — the arms race
  10. key — the most important part
  11. race — a contest
  12. wind — moving air
  13. roll — a cake
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. rest — a break
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. suit — clothes
  19. race — humankind
  20. suit — in cards
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rest — what's left
  23. suit — to fit
  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