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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. row — to paddle
  5. season — of the year
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. race — a contest
  8. file — a line of people
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. row — a line
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. file — a tool
  14. season — in sport
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mark — a trace
  17. race — the arms race
  18. file — a document
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. race — humankind

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