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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. race — humankind
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — an aim
  6. current — happening now
  7. race — the arms race
  8. file — a line of people
  9. object — to protest
  10. file — a document
  11. race — a contest
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. kid — child
  14. suit — in cards
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. current — of water
  20. file — a tool
  21. current — electric
  22. kid — to tease
  23. suit — clothes
  24. straw — a straw man

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