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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: ruler · safe · race · nail · file · board · shower · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — humankind
  4. file — a document
  5. tube — a container
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. board — a committee
  9. race — a contest
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. board — to get on
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. file — a tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. file — a line of people

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