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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. season — of the year
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. suit — in cards
  6. race — a contest
  7. firm — a company
  8. suit — clothes
  9. race — humankind
  10. sharp — clever
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. firm — decided
  14. season — in sport
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. drill — the tool
  18. race — the arms race
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. drill — a practice
  21. dip — to sink
  22. firm — steady
  23. drill — army training
  24. sharp — with an edge

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