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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 116 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: suit · mark · race · ruler · wake · press · kid · fine

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. mark — a trace
  4. suit — in cards
  5. race — humankind
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wake — a trail
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fine — all right
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. race — a contest
  15. kid — child
  16. press — newspapers
  17. race — the arms race
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mark — a grade
  21. press — to push
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. press — a publisher
  24. fine — high quality

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