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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. last — finally
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. last — final
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pit — in a race
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. race — the arms race
  18. rule — a law
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. last — to go on
  22. rule — government
  23. race — humankind
  24. deal — an agreement

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