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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — humankind
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. date — the fruit
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. race — a contest

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