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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. tear — from crying
  8. last — finally
  9. charge — electricity
  10. last — to go on
  11. fine — all right
  12. snap — to click
  13. plane — a tool
  14. tear — to rip
  15. charge — in control
  16. fine — high quality
  17. charge — a price
  18. tear — from crying
  19. race — humankind
  20. last — final
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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