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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — a face
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. race — a contest
  7. wake — a trail
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. race — humankind
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. fork — in a road
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. mug — a cup
  21. race — the arms race
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bass — low music

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