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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. drill — the tool
  4. race — the arms race
  5. drill — a practice
  6. swing — music
  7. court — of a king
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. swing — in golf
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. court — for sport
  12. drill — army training
  13. race — humankind
  14. bank — for money
  15. race — a contest
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bank — of a river
  19. court — of law
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bank — for money
  24. swing — to play on

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