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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. stem — to come from
  3. race — a contest
  4. land — to come down
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. object — an aim
  8. key — for a lock
  9. staff — employees
  10. race — the arms race
  11. land — ground
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. staff — a stick
  14. root — the cause
  15. staff — employees
  16. key — in music
  17. object — to protest
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. object — a thing
  22. land — a country
  23. key — the most important part
  24. root — of a plant

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