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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 124 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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. suit — in cards
  6. race — the arms race
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to click
  13. race — a contest
  14. pop — to visit
  15. wake — a trail
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. race — humankind
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — clothes
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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