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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 120 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: mark · rest · chest · race · mug · deal · fork · stem

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mug — a cup
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stem — to come from
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. race — a contest
  10. chest — of your body
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. deal — to handle
  13. chest — of your body
  14. race — the arms race
  15. chest — a box
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. mug — a face
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. mug — to rob
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. race — humankind
  23. mark — a grade
  24. deal — a big deal

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