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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. race — humankind
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. key — in music
  8. race — a contest
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. charge — a price
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. race — the arms race
  15. key — the most important part
  16. branch — a division
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. toast — bread
  19. charge — in control
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. nail — for a hammer

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