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

Word bank: mate · saw · race · nail · firm · shower · mark · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. race — the arms race
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mark — a trace
  5. race — a contest
  6. saw — the tool
  7. race — humankind
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mark — a grade
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. shower — rain
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — a company
  19. shower — to wash
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. firm — decided
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. saw — the tool

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