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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. march — the month
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. board — a committee
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. race — humankind
  14. bore — to drill
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rock — music
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pit — in a race
  21. branch — a division
  22. rock — a stone
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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