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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. drill — army training
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. drill — the tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rock — a stone
  23. race — humankind
  24. calf — a young animal

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