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

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. swing — in golf
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. race — humankind
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bat — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. kick — in football
  14. tear — to rip
  15. tear — from crying
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. race — a contest
  22. charge — a price
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — for a hammer

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