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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: cell · wave · key · can · race · sharp · foot · mark

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mark — a grade
  3. key — the most important part
  4. can — a tin
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. race — the arms race
  7. sharp — clever
  8. mark — a trace
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. cell — in biology
  13. foot — a measure
  14. race — humankind
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. race — a contest
  17. key — for a lock
  18. cell — a phone
  19. can — a tin
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. key — in music
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. can — to be able to

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