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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mug — to rob
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. race — humankind
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lie — to recline
  11. craft — boats
  12. mug — a face
  13. race — a contest
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. race — the arms race
  22. tube — a container
  23. mug — a cup
  24. tube — the underground

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