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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — the arms race
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. drill — army training
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wake — a trail
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rest — a break
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mug — a face
  17. race — humankind
  18. drill — a practice
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. drill — the tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. foot — part of the body

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