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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 120 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: race · drill · board · pass · firm · nail · stick · land

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. firm — decided
  3. race — the arms race
  4. drill — a practice
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. drill — army training
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. firm — a company
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. firm — steady
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — a contest
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pass — a permit
  18. board — a committee
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. land — a country
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. board — to get on
  23. land — ground
  24. land — to come down

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