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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · mate · land · ruler · firm · staff

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. staff — a stick
  3. mate — a partner
  4. land — a country
  5. mate — to breed
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. race — the arms race
  9. land — to come down
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mate — a friend
  13. staff — employees
  14. race — a contest
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. staff — employees
  17. land — ground
  18. firm — steady

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