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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. firm — steady
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. firm — decided
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bear — the animal
  7. race — the arms race
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. race — humankind
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. content — happy
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. pound — a weight
  20. firm — a company
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. content — the amount
  23. tube — a container
  24. race — a contest

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