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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. 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. nail — for a hammer
  2. race — the arms race
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. race — a contest
  6. fall — the season
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — to drop
  11. field — for sport
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — farmland
  18. 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