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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. can — a tin
  5. key — for a lock
  6. branch — a division
  7. race — humankind
  8. can — to be able to
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. race — a contest
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. race — the arms race
  17. can — a tin
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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