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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cell — a phone
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — in biology
  11. track — a path
  12. track — to keep track
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. race — a contest
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. race — the arms race
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. track — a song

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