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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. object — a thing
  4. scale — in music
  5. file — a document
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. object — to protest
  9. file — a line of people
  10. scale — size or range
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. file — a tool
  13. race — a contest
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. race — humankind
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. object — an aim

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