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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: ruler · spell · rush · patient · race · dip · stick · fall

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. race — the arms race
  5. spell — letters
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. spell — a short time
  12. fall — to drop
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. fall — to drop
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. spell — magic
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. race — a contest
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fall — the season

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