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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. race — the arms race
  4. object — a thing
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. track — a path
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. track — a song
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. object — an aim
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — the tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. kid — to tease
  17. object — to protest
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. track — to keep track
  22. kid — child
  23. drill — army training
  24. race — humankind

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