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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rule — a law
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. race — humankind
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. squash — to crush
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. squash — the sport
  14. race — the arms race
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rule — government
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. dip — a sauce

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