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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: stick · staff · can · deal · last · race · lean · rule

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. race — humankind
  5. can — a tin
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. can — to be able to
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rule — government
  13. last — finally
  14. rule — a law
  15. staff — a stick
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. can — a tin
  18. lean — thin
  19. race — a contest
  20. last — final
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. race — the arms race
  24. last — to go on

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