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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. rule — government
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rule — a law
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bore — to drill
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bore — to tire
  9. race — a contest
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. craft — boats
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. bass — low music
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. object — an aim
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. race — the arms race

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