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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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Word bank
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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: cold · cap · hide · race · mug · rush · ruler · suit

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mug — a face
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a cup
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cap — a hat
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. race — humankind
  17. cold — an illness
  18. suit — in cards
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cold — not warm
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. race — a contest
  24. rush — hurry

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