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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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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: file · game · race · bay · nail · rock · rush · fan

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. race — the arms race
  4. file — a line of people
  5. rush — hurry
  6. game — wild animals
  7. file — a document
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. game — a match
  10. file — a tool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. race — a contest
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. race — humankind
  24. fan — a supporter

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