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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 · kid · stand · leaves · drill · race

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. drill — army training
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. race — humankind
  7. drill — the tool
  8. race — the arms race
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — child
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. kid — to tease
  15. drill — a practice
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stand — to bear
  18. race — a contest

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