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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: plane · bulb · mug · club · chip · key · roll · race

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bulb — for light
  4. roll — a cake
  5. club — for dancing
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mug — a cup
  8. club — for golf
  9. mug — to rob
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — to eat
  12. roll — a list
  13. mug — a face
  14. chip — for betting
  15. club — a group
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. plane — a tool
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. key — for a lock
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bulb — for light
  24. plane — an aircraft

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