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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 keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. race — a contest
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. race — humankind
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. key — for a lock
  8. track — a path
  9. key — in music
  10. suit — clothes
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. key — the most important part
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. suit — in cards
  21. capital — money
  22. race — the arms race
  23. track — a song
  24. bulb — for light

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