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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: march · key · mark · lie · fork · race · roll · charge

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. key — in music
  3. march — the month
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mark — a trace
  7. race — humankind
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. charge — in control
  11. march — the month
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — a cake
  15. key — for a lock
  16. march — music
  17. mark — a grade
  18. key — the most important part
  19. charge — electricity
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. race — a contest
  23. fork — in a road
  24. charge — a price

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