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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. mark — a trace
  6. march — music
  7. last — finally
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. wind — moving air
  14. last — final
  15. race — a contest
  16. last — to go on
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mark — a grade
  21. march — the month
  22. race — humankind
  23. march — the month
  24. race — the arms race

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