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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. chip — for betting
  3. race — the arms race
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. race — humankind
  9. band — a music group
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — of water
  15. band — a ring
  16. spring — the season
  17. mark — a trace
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mark — a grade
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. race — a contest
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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