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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. race — humankind
  3. last — finally
  4. race — the arms race
  5. band — a music group
  6. firm — a company
  7. saw — the tool
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. race — a contest
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. firm — steady
  13. row — a line
  14. last — final
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. last — to go on
  20. firm — decided
  21. craft — a skill
  22. row — to paddle
  23. band — a ring
  24. saw — the tool

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