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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. perch — the fish
  3. cue — a hint
  4. firm — decided
  5. fine — all right
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. stem — to come from
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. firm — steady
  11. race — the arms race
  12. cue — a signal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. race — a contest
  15. charge — in control
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. race — humankind
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. charge — electricity
  23. firm — a company
  24. charge — a price

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