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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fine — all right
  4. race — a contest
  5. foot — a measure
  6. fine — high quality
  7. squash — to crush
  8. race — humankind
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bound — certain
  13. pass — a permit
  14. wound — an injury
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. race — the arms race
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bound — obliged
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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