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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. race — the arms race
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. present — a gift
  7. pound — a weight
  8. drill — the tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. drill — a practice
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. drill — army training
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. race — humankind
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. race — a contest
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. present — there
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. present — the time now

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