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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: firm · nail · race · rule · plane · field · racket · rock

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. field — farmland
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rock — music
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. firm — a company
  9. race — a contest
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. race — humankind
  15. field — a subject
  16. rule — government
  17. field — for sport
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. rock — a stone

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