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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fall — the season
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. fall — to drop
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rest — a break
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ball — a dance
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — the arms race
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fall — to drop
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. race — humankind
  24. nail — for a hammer

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