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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. suit — clothes
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. chest — of your body
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chest — a box
  8. cap — a lid
  9. race — a contest
  10. board — a committee
  11. cap — a hat
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — the arms race
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. board — to get on
  19. cap — of ice
  20. suit — in cards
  21. chest — of your body
  22. roll — a list
  23. suit — to fit
  24. roll — a cake

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