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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. board — a committee
  4. race — humankind
  5. rock — music
  6. key — in music
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — the arms race
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. content — happy
  16. board — to get on
  17. key — the most important part
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. rock — a stone
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. key — for a lock
  23. content — the amount
  24. sharp — clever

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