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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: nail · trunk · jam · lean · rash · chip · firm · race

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. chip — to eat
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lean — thin
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. firm — a company
  18. rash — hasty
  19. race — humankind
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. firm — decided
  22. rash — a series
  23. firm — steady
  24. chip — for betting

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