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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. race — the arms race
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bound — certain
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. craft — a skill
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. wound — an injury
  15. firm — a company
  16. bound — obliged
  17. firm — steady
  18. race — humankind
  19. firm — decided
  20. scale — size or range
  21. wound — an injury
  22. race — a contest
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bound — tied together

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