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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. file — a tool
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bound — certain
  7. file — a line of people
  8. key — for a lock
  9. race — humankind
  10. file — a document
  11. bound — tied together
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bound — obliged
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. stand — to bear
  23. spring — the season
  24. race — a contest

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