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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: can · nail · net · board · race · hide · tube · fan

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. race — humankind
  3. tube — the underground
  4. net — for catching
  5. can — to be able to
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. race — the arms race
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. net — in sport
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. can — a tin
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. tube — a container
  16. race — a contest
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. net — after costs
  20. board — a committee
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. can — a tin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. nail — on a finger

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