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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. branch — a division
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bore — to tire
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — money
  12. race — humankind
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. capital — a city
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. race — a contest
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bore — to drill
  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