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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — humankind
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kid — to tease
  11. rule — a law
  12. suit — clothes
  13. race — the arms race
  14. rule — government
  15. bat — the animal
  16. drill — a practice
  17. kid — child
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. drill — army training
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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