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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 124 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: pitcher · jam · cap · stick · fan · ruler · last · race

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. last — final
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. race — a contest
  14. last — finally
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cap — of ice
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. cap — a hat
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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