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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: ruler · chest · race · safe · game · nail · wave · lie

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lie — to recline
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. chest — of your body
  9. game — a match
  10. chest — of your body
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. race — a contest
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. race — humankind
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. chest — a box
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. game — wild animals

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