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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: hide · pitcher · stem · clip · suit · deal · nail · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. clip — a video
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. clip — to cut
  10. stem — to come from
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. race — the arms race
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. clip — for paper
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. race — a contest

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