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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 · mark · race · hide · land · plane · pound · safe

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pound — a weight
  4. land — a country
  5. mark — a trace
  6. plane — a tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. race — the arms race
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. race — humankind
  14. land — to come down
  15. race — a contest
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. land — ground
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pound — to hit hard

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