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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cell — a phone
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. race — the arms race
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pound — a weight
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. cell — in biology
  14. rush — hurry
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spell — a short time
  19. race — humankind
  20. spell — letters
  21. race — a contest
  22. spell — magic
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rush — to hurry

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