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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: club · bear · can · race · hide · fine · nail · mark

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fine — all right
  3. can — a tin
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. race — humankind
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. club — for golf
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. race — the arms race
  13. club — for dancing
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mark — a trace
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mark — a grade
  18. race — a contest
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. club — a group
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. can — a tin

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