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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. race — a contest
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. plane — a tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bear — the animal
  14. dip — to sink
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. club — for golf
  17. bear — the animal
  18. club — a group
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. race — the arms race
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. race — humankind
  24. saw — the tool

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