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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. season — in sport
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. race — the arms race
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. ground — the earth
  8. track — a path
  9. fork — in a road
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. track — a song
  12. chair — a leader
  13. track — to keep track
  14. ground — a position
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. race — a contest
  19. season — of the year
  20. ground — crushed
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chair — a professorship
  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