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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: calf · staff · nail · rule · stand · jam · sharp · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. staff — employees
  4. rule — a law
  5. race — humankind
  6. sharp — clever
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. staff — a stick
  12. stand — to bear
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. staff — employees
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. race — a contest
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rule — government

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