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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · rule · coach · race · object · nail · jam · drill

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. race — the arms race
  3. object — an aim
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rule — government
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. race — humankind
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. drill — army training
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. object — a thing
  19. race — a contest
  20. drill — the tool
  21. object — to protest
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. drill — a practice
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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