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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: firm · wound · lie · race · charge · sharp · bay · nail

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. firm — a company
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. charge — a price
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wound — an injury
  7. race — humankind
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lie — to recline
  10. firm — decided
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wound — an injury
  15. race — a contest
  16. charge — in control
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. sharp — clever
  19. firm — steady
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bay — a horse colour

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