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

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mark — a trace
  5. charge — a price
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. charge — in control
  8. race — a contest
  9. charge — electricity
  10. race — humankind
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fine — all right
  18. bore — to tire
  19. race — the arms race
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bore — to drill
  24. calf — a young animal

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