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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: court · bay · cabinet · plane · rock · key · rush · race

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. race — a contest
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rush — hurry
  8. court — of a king
  9. key — for a lock
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. court — for sport
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. plane — a tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rock — music
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. court — of law
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. race — humankind

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