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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 120 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: degree · spell · pit · coach · rock · safe · race · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spell — magic
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. degree — an amount
  8. rock — music
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. degree — temperature
  11. race — a contest
  12. spell — letters
  13. pit — in a race
  14. spell — a short time
  15. rock — a stone
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pit — a hole
  18. race — the arms race
  19. key — for a lock
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. degree — from a university
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. race — humankind
  24. coach — a trainer

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