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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. craft — boats
  3. last — finally
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. race — a contest
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bark — to shout
  10. last — to go on
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. race — humankind
  16. charge — in control
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. charge — a price
  19. craft — a skill
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. last — final
  24. patient — a sick person

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