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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: row · plane · current · deal · race · roll · staff · key

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. deal — to handle
  4. race — a contest
  5. key — the most important part
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. row — to paddle
  8. current — of water
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. staff — employees
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. roll — a list
  15. row — a line
  16. staff — employees
  17. current — electric
  18. key — in music
  19. current — happening now
  20. roll — a cake
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. key — for a lock
  23. staff — a stick
  24. roll — on a roll

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