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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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. race — humankind
  4. branch — a division
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. present — a gift
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. mark — a grade
  13. race — the arms race
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. present — there
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. race — a contest
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. present — the time now
  24. ruler — a monarch

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