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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 · tear · band · firm · bore · ruler · file · face

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a document
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. face — part of the head
  5. firm — decided
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. firm — steady
  8. bore — to drill
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. race — a contest
  11. band — a music group
  12. tear — to rip
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. tear — from crying
  16. file — a tool
  17. tear — from crying
  18. race — the arms race
  19. firm — a company
  20. bore — to tire
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a ring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. race — humankind

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