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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. face — to point toward
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. race — a contest
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. race — humankind
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. race — the arms race
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wound — an injury
  20. face — part of the head
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. racket — for tennis

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