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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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. race — a contest
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. race — humankind
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. band — a ring
  7. can — a tin
  8. lean — thin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. can — a tin
  13. fork — in a road
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. swing — in golf
  22. band — a music group
  23. lean — to bend
  24. race — the arms race

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