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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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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: saw · race · tube · suit · row · ruler · sharp · stick

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. tube — the underground
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. race — a contest
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. suit — clothes
  10. race — humankind
  11. suit — in cards
  12. saw — the tool
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. sharp — clever
  17. race — the arms race
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. tube — a container
  21. suit — to fit
  22. row — a line
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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