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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. game — a match
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mark — a trace
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. mark — a grade
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. race — humankind
  14. rest — a break
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rest — what's left
  18. game — wild animals
  19. rest — what's left
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. race — the arms race
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  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