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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. race — humankind
  4. squash — to crush
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. squash — the sport
  8. key — in music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rule — government
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. race — a contest
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. key — for a lock
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. key — the most important part
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. race — the arms race

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