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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. last — finally
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. firm — a company
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. last — final
  8. firm — steady
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. race — a contest
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mate — to breed
  15. firm — decided
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. last — to go on
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. race — the arms race
  23. ball — a great time
  24. race — humankind

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