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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 116 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: face · mate · race · ruler · track · stand · key · row

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. track — a song
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. race — the arms race
  6. mate — to breed
  7. face — to point toward
  8. race — humankind
  9. track — a path
  10. face — to confront
  11. key — in music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. row — a line
  14. track — to keep track
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mate — a friend
  20. race — a contest
  21. face — part of the head
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. row — to paddle
  24. stand — to bear

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