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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. file — a tool
  9. kid — to tease
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. file — a document
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. ground — a position
  18. kid — child
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. race — humankind
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. jam — a tight spot

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