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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. ground — crushed
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. rule — a law
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ground — the earth
  9. hand — help
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. clip — to cut
  13. ground — a position
  14. race — a contest
  15. hand — in cards
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. race — the arms race
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. clip — for paper
  21. clip — a video
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rule — government

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