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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mine — for digging
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. race — humankind
  7. object — a thing
  8. race — a contest
  9. object — an aim
  10. branch — a division
  11. can — to be able to
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. can — a tin
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. can — a tin
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. object — to protest
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. race — the arms race

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