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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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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: chip · race · toast · wave · nail · kick · firm · trunk

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. firm — steady
  4. toast — bread
  5. race — a contest
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. kick — in football
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. firm — a company
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. firm — decided
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. race — humankind
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. chip — to eat
  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