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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: race · ruler · rash · stand · toast · trunk

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. race — a contest
  4. toast — bread
  5. rash — a series
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. race — the arms race
  8. stand — to bear
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. race — humankind
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rash — hasty
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. trunk — of a car

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