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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 · bear · current · tear · foot · race · track · dip

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. dip — to sink
  3. current — happening now
  4. tear — from crying
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. race — a contest
  7. bear — the animal
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. track — a song
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tear — to rip
  13. race — the arms race
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. current — electric
  16. track — a path
  17. tear — from crying
  18. track — to keep track
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bear — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. foot — a measure
  23. current — of water
  24. dip — a sauce

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