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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: can · race · deal · rush · rock · mark · nail · roll

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. race — the arms race
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rock — a stone
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mark — a grade
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — humankind
  14. roll — a list
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mark — a trace
  19. can — a tin
  20. rush — hurry
  21. roll — a cake
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rock — music
  24. roll — on a roll

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