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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 116 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. face — to confront
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mate — a friend
  5. race — the arms race
  6. mate — a partner
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bound — certain
  9. key — in music
  10. firm — steady
  11. face — part of the head
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. firm — decided
  14. race — humankind
  15. mate — to breed
  16. tube — a container
  17. key — for a lock
  18. race — a contest
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bound — obliged
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. tube — the underground
  23. firm — a company
  24. bound — tied together

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