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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 116 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 · racket · mark · face · content · bear · suit · race

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. race — humankind
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. content — happy
  5. bear — the animal
  6. content — the amount
  7. suit — clothes
  8. face — to point toward
  9. mark — a grade
  10. suit — to fit
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. race — the arms race
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. race — a contest
  17. face — part of the head
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bear — the animal
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. face — to confront
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bear — to put up with

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