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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. kid — to tease
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to confront
  11. kid — child
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. mate — a partner
  19. rock — music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. race — the arms race
  22. face — to point toward
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — crushed

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