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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 116 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 piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. ground — crushed
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. present — a gift
  7. bank — for money
  8. present — there
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bank — for money
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bank — of a river
  13. present — the time now
  14. ground — the earth
  15. key — for a lock
  16. race — a contest
  17. ground — a position
  18. race — humankind
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. race — the arms race
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. safe — out of danger

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