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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bore — to drill
  3. race — humankind
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. race — a contest
  7. bound — certain
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wound — an injury
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. key — in music
  13. bound — tied together
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. race — the arms race
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wound — an injury
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. key — for a lock

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