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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ground — crushed
  3. rash — a series
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. drill — the tool
  6. race — humankind
  7. drill — a practice
  8. race — the arms race
  9. ground — the earth
  10. stock — goods
  11. key — in music
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. ground — a position
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rash — hasty
  16. vault — a safe
  17. key — the most important part
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. drill — army training
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stock — shares
  23. race — a contest
  24. key — for a lock

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