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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: jam · deal · track · board · stick · tube · nail · race

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. race — humankind
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. board — to get on
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. board — a committee
  16. track — to keep track
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. tube — the underground
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — the arms race
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. tube — a container

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