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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. club — for golf
  3. key — for a lock
  4. can — a tin
  5. race — the arms race
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. key — in music
  8. cue — a signal
  9. perch — the fish
  10. can — to be able to
  11. key — the most important part
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — a contest
  14. rash — a series
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. club — a group
  19. can — a tin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. club — for dancing
  23. cue — for pool
  24. perch — for a bird

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