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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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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. race — humankind
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — an aim
  6. race — the arms race
  7. fine — all right
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. cell — a phone
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. current — electric
  17. object — to protest
  18. current — of water
  19. key — in music
  20. race — a contest
  21. current — happening now
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fine — high quality
  24. cell — in biology

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