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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: ruler · rule · race · foot · mark · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rule — government
  3. mark — a trace
  4. race — a contest
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mark — a grade
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rule — a law
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. race — humankind
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. race — the arms race
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. foot — a measure

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