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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: stand · bay · fork · race · hide · nail · rush · racket

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fork — in a road
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. race — humankind
  17. stand — to bear
  18. race — a contest
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. race — the arms race
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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