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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mate — to breed
  5. race — humankind
  6. mark — a trace
  7. race — the arms race
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bear — the animal
  15. season — of the year
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. row — to paddle
  19. bear — the animal
  20. row — a line
  21. race — a contest
  22. pit — in a race
  23. season — in sport
  24. pit — a hole

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