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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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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: ground · key · fine · row · spell · snap · race · rock

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. key — the most important part
  4. snap — to click
  5. rock — a stone
  6. row — a line
  7. ground — the earth
  8. row — to paddle
  9. race — humankind
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. spell — letters
  12. key — for a lock
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. spell — magic
  15. race — the arms race
  16. key — in music
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — a position
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. race — a contest
  21. spell — a short time
  22. rock — music
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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