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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: bank · rest · key · foot · bay · swing · plane · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. key — for a lock
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bank — for money
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bank — for money
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rest — a break
  11. plane — a tool
  12. swing — music
  13. bank — of a river
  14. race — the arms race
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rest — what's left
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. key — in music
  23. race — a contest
  24. rest — what's left

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