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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pit — a hole
  6. race — humankind
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. roll — a cake
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. kid — to tease
  14. pit — in a race
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fork — in a road
  19. kid — child
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. race — a contest
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. roll — a list
  24. deal — a big deal

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