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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. track — a song
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. race — a contest
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. board — to get on
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. kid — child
  12. stand — to bear
  13. race — the arms race
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. track — a path
  16. race — humankind
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. kid — to tease
  24. track — to keep track

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