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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. stand — to bear
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. race — the arms race
  8. chair — a leader
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. race — a contest
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. lean — thin
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wound — an injury
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — to sit on

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