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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. race — a contest
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. spell — letters
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. firm — a company
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. date — the fruit
  10. firm — decided
  11. tear — from crying
  12. race — the arms race
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — to rip
  15. press — to push
  16. spell — a short time
  17. fine — high quality
  18. press — newspapers
  19. fine — all right
  20. press — a publisher
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. firm — steady
  24. race — humankind

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