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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.

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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — humankind
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. last — finally
  9. tear — to rip
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mug — a face
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mug — to rob
  14. tear — from crying
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. last — final
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. last — to go on
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mug — a cup
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. race — a contest
  24. ruler — for measuring

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