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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bank — for money
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. race — humankind
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. race — a contest
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pound — a weight
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. season — in sport
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rest — what's left
  17. key — in music
  18. rest — a break
  19. race — the arms race
  20. rest — what's left
  21. season — of the year
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bank — for money
  24. key — for a lock

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