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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. lean — thin
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pound — a weight
  7. row — a line
  8. drill — a practice
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. race — a contest
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lean — to bend
  15. drill — the tool
  16. craft — a skill
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. drill — army training
  21. race — the arms race
  22. craft — boats
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. race — humankind

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