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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stem — to come from
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. race — a contest
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to click
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pit — a hole
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. race — humankind
  15. lie — to recline
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. hand — in cards
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. hand — help
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. hand — part of the body

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