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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. race — humankind
  6. key — for a lock
  7. race — a contest
  8. stand — to bear
  9. fine — high quality
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. key — in music
  17. branch — a division
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fine — all right
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. race — the arms race

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