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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. race — a contest
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. saw — the tool
  7. race — the arms race
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. key — in music
  11. object — to protest
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. key — for a lock
  17. race — humankind
  18. mug — a face
  19. mine — for digging
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — a thing
  22. mug — to rob
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. key — the most important part

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