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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. race — humankind
  4. mark — a trace
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mate — a partner
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. hand — in cards
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mate — to breed
  13. hand — help
  14. tear — to rip
  15. wake — a trail
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. race — a contest
  20. mate — a friend
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. tear — from crying
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. race — the arms race

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