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

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. race — a contest
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chair — a leader
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wound — an injury
  12. charge — in control
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. charge — electricity
  15. race — humankind
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. firm — a company
  20. bore — to drill
  21. wound — an injury
  22. charge — a price
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. race — the arms race

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