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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: rule · race · saw · pit · object · content · ruler · firm

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. race — the arms race
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. content — the amount
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rule — government
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. race — a contest
  15. pit — in a race
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. firm — a company
  18. race — humankind
  19. object — an aim
  20. pit — a hole
  21. object — to protest
  22. rule — a law
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. object — a thing

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