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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. drill — the tool
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. staff — employees
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — of a word
  10. tube — a container
  11. race — the arms race
  12. staff — employees
  13. race — a contest
  14. drill — a practice
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. race — humankind
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. staff — a stick
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — the cause
  21. tube — the underground
  22. drill — army training
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — the fish

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