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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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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: wave · suit · row · key · scale · race · chip · club

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. chip — to eat
  4. row — a line
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. race — humankind
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. race — a contest
  11. chip — for betting
  12. race — the arms race
  13. scale — in music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. club — for dancing
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. club — a group
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — to paddle
  21. scale — size or range
  22. club — for golf
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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