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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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. race — humankind
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. root — of a word
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. race — a contest
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. root — of a plant
  10. game — wild animals
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. pass — a permit
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. race — the arms race
  17. rush — hurry
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. track — a song
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. track — a path
  22. root — the cause
  23. track — to keep track
  24. game — a match

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