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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. track — to keep track
  11. race — the arms race
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ground — crushed
  15. track — a song
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. race — a contest
  18. ground — a position
  19. prune — to trim
  20. track — a path
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. race — humankind
  24. lie — an untruth

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