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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. land — ground
  6. race — the arms race
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. land — a country
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. race — humankind
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bore — to tire
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. land — to come down
  17. bore — to drill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rest — a break
  20. race — a contest
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wake — a trail
  24. nail — for a hammer

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