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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 116 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: bore · key · bank · chip · race · bear · rest · pitch

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. key — the most important part
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bank — for money
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bank — for money
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. key — in music
  12. race — humankind
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rest — a break
  15. bank — of a river
  16. race — a contest
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bore — to drill
  22. chip — to eat
  23. key — for a lock
  24. chip — for betting

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