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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rule — a law
  11. tear — from crying
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. race — a contest
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. tear — to rip
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rule — government
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mark — a grade

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