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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 116 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. file — a line of people
  9. rest — what's left
  10. file — a tool
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. file — a document
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stand — to bear
  17. race — the arms race
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. race — a contest
  22. rest — a break
  23. branch — a division
  24. fan — a supporter

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