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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. race — a contest
  3. charge — a price
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — to breed
  10. wake — a trail
  11. fork — in a road
  12. race — humankind
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. race — the arms race
  18. charge — in control
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. charge — electricity
  24. fork — to eat 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