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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — temperature
  5. race — a contest
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — clothes
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. degree — from a university
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. file — a line of people
  16. race — humankind
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. file — a document
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. file — a tool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stem — to come from

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