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

Word bank: drill · ruler · last · race · bear · lean

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — the tool
  4. last — final
  5. last — to go on
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. race — a contest
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. last — finally
  15. drill — army training
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. race — humankind
  18. drill — a practice

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