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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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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: rush · kick · roll · lie · race · rule · present · net

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. roll — a list
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. present — there
  5. net — after costs
  6. race — a contest
  7. net — in sport
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. race — the arms race
  10. rush — hurry
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. present — a gift
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. present — the time now
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. roll — a cake
  24. net — for catching

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