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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lie — to recline
  4. kid — child
  5. cue — for pool
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — a law
  8. race — humankind
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cue — a signal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. rule — government
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. kid — to tease
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — the arms race
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. cue — a hint

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