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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 120 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: ruler · race · fine · straw · object · rule · mark · face

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. rule — a law
  4. mark — a grade
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. race — humankind
  11. object — a thing
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. face — to point toward
  15. race — a contest
  16. rule — government
  17. face — to confront
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. face — part of the head
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. fine — high quality
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. race — the arms race
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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