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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. race — the arms race
  4. suit — to fit
  5. land — ground
  6. land — to come down
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wind — moving air
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. race — humankind
  12. land — a country
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. suit — in cards
  16. race — a contest
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. wind — to turn a key

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