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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: nail · dip · wind · race · ball · fine · rule · suit

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. suit — clothes
  3. race — a contest
  4. wind — moving air
  5. ball — a great time
  6. fine — high quality
  7. race — the arms race
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rule — government
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. wind — moving air
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fine — all right
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. race — humankind
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. ball — a dance
  24. dip — a sauce

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