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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. race — a contest
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. suit — in cards
  7. capital — a city
  8. race — the arms race
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. race — humankind
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bank — for money
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bank — for money
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. capital — money
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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