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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. race — a contest
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. charge — a price
  5. last — final
  6. branch — a division
  7. charge — in control
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. last — to go on
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. race — the arms race
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. race — humankind
  21. last — finally
  22. charge — electricity
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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