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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 120 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: object · snap · nail · lie · bulb · rest · race · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. hand — help
  4. race — humankind
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. race — the arms race
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lie — to recline
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. race — a contest
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. object — a thing
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bulb — for light
  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