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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: cue · tear · race · nail · ruler · lean · track · lie

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. tear — to rip
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lean — thin
  6. track — to keep track
  7. cue — a signal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. track — a path
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lean — to bend
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tear — from crying
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. tear — from crying
  19. track — a song
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lie — to recline
  22. race — a contest
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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