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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. key — in music
  6. race — a contest
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. fall — to drop
  9. key — for a lock
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. race — humankind
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. charge — in control
  16. fork — in a road
  17. wax — to grow
  18. charge — a price
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bark — to shout
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. fall — the season
  24. temple — side of the head

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