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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 116 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mine — for digging
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. race — the arms race
  5. firm — a company
  6. drill — the tool
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bass — the fish
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. race — humankind
  15. bass — low music
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. race — a contest
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. drill — army training
  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