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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: snap · stand · wound · fork · race · board · deal · object

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. object — an aim
  7. stand — to bear
  8. snap — to click
  9. object — a thing
  10. wound — an injury
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. board — a committee
  17. wound — an injury
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. object — to protest
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. deal — to handle
  23. board — to get on
  24. race — humankind

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