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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. race — a contest
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bank — for money
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. race — humankind
  13. bank — for money
  14. kid — child
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bank — of a river
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bore — to tire

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