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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: fan · fine · nail · race · file · bear · current · bound

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bound — certain
  4. race — humankind
  5. bound — tied together
  6. current — electric
  7. file — a document
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. current — of water
  10. bear — the animal
  11. file — a tool
  12. current — happening now
  13. file — a line of people
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. race — the arms race
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bound — obliged
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fine — all right
  24. nail — for a hammer

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