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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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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: trunk · key · object · board · band · safe · game · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. key — the most important part
  6. board — to get on
  7. game — wild animals
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. key — in music
  13. object — a thing
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. object — to protest
  16. race — humankind
  17. key — for a lock
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. object — an aim
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. board — a committee
  24. race — a contest

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