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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · bulb · firm · race · file · track · rule · mark

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. race — humankind
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. firm — decided
  7. file — a document
  8. rule — a law
  9. bulb — for light
  10. key — in music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mark — a trace
  13. file — a tool
  14. key — the most important part
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rule — government
  20. race — a contest
  21. bulb — for light
  22. race — the arms race
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. mark — a grade

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