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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mate — a friend
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. object — to protest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rush — hurry
  9. can — a tin
  10. race — a contest
  11. object — a thing
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. can — a tin
  20. mate — to breed
  21. race — humankind
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. object — an aim
  24. rush — a thrill

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