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

Word bank: key · sharp · rest · race · charge · wave · object · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. key — in music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. race — a contest
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. charge — a price
  8. sharp — clever
  9. object — to protest
  10. rest — what's left
  11. charge — electricity
  12. race — humankind
  13. object — a thing
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bear — the animal
  17. object — an aim
  18. race — the arms race
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rest — a break
  22. charge — in control
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — with your hand

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