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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. last — finally
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cap — a lid
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. last — to go on
  9. race — humankind
  10. lie — to recline
  11. file — a document
  12. last — final
  13. suit — in cards
  14. file — a tool
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — the arms race
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. cap — of ice
  21. suit — to fit
  22. file — a line of people
  23. cap — a hat
  24. trunk — 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