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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · rush · land · pass · degree · bore · ruler · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — humankind
  4. rush — hurry
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pass — a permit
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — temperature
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. land — to come down
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. land — a country
  19. degree — an amount
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bore — to drill
  22. land — ground
  23. race — a contest
  24. rush — to hurry

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