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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. race — humankind
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rest — a break
  9. race — a contest
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. rest — what's left
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. kid — child
  17. vault — a safe
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kid — to tease
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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