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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. firm — a company
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. track — a song
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cap — a hat
  9. race — humankind
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. content — the amount
  15. rule — government
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. track — a path
  19. rule — a law
  20. content — happy
  21. race — the arms race
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. race — a contest

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