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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. last — final
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bass — the fish
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. race — the arms race
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. mark — a grade
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. last — to go on
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. last — finally
  16. row — a line
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mark — a trace
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bass — low music
  23. race — humankind
  24. row — a quarrel

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