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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. roll — a list
  3. key — for a lock
  4. race — a contest
  5. bank — for money
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. chip — for betting
  10. stock — goods
  11. key — in music
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bank — of a river
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. chip — to eat
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. race — humankind
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a dance
  22. key — the most important part
  23. stock — shares
  24. pop — soda

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