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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — a match
  3. scale — size or range
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. race — humankind
  9. drill — the tool
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. plane — a tool
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. race — a contest
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. game — wild animals
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. drill — a practice
  19. wound — an injury
  20. race — the arms race
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. drill — army training
  23. scale — in music
  24. branch — of a tree

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