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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 116 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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. last — finally
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. last — to go on
  8. bear — the animal
  9. chip — to eat
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. race — a contest
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. current — electric
  14. lie — to recline
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. current — of water
  17. shower — rain
  18. last — final
  19. current — happening now
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. chip — for betting
  22. race — humankind
  23. shower — to wash
  24. bear — to put up with

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