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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: dip · race · nail · rock · ruler · bank · stick · date

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. race — a contest
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. race — humankind
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — music
  13. date — the fruit
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. dip — to sink
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bank — for money

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