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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. race — the arms race
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. race — a contest
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. last — finally
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. content — the amount
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. ground — the earth
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. board — to get on
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. board — a committee
  22. race — humankind
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. content — happy

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