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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. ball — a great time
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. race — humankind
  14. ball — a dance
  15. current — happening now
  16. pass — a permit
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. current — electric
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. pass — to succeed

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