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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. track — a path
  3. race — a contest
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stem — to come from
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. race — the arms race
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. track — a song
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. race — humankind
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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