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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 116 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: stick · bark · race · rule · swing · nail · drill · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bark — to shout
  3. pit — a hole
  4. race — the arms race
  5. rule — government
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. race — a contest
  8. rule — a law
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. race — humankind
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — in golf
  16. drill — army training
  17. swing — to play on
  18. drill — a practice
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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