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

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. drill — the tool
  3. race — humankind
  4. scale — size or range
  5. current — electric
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. current — of water
  8. drill — army training
  9. scale — in music
  10. ball — a great time
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. ball — a dance
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. current — happening now
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. drill — a practice
  22. race — the arms race
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — a permit

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