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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bound — obliged
  3. race — humankind
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. land — to come down
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. race — a contest
  9. land — ground
  10. bound — tied together
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. row — to paddle
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rule — government
  16. row — a line
  17. land — a country
  18. rule — a law
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bound — certain
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. row — a quarrel

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