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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 120 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. race — a contest
  3. scale — in music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. plane — a tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. charge — electricity
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. scale — size or range
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. race — humankind
  12. rash — hasty
  13. charge — a price
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. charge — in control
  16. race — the arms race
  17. wind — moving air
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. rash — a series

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