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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  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. drill — army training
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. ground — the earth
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bore — to drill
  14. race — the arms race
  15. ground — a position
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. stem — to come from
  19. ground — crushed
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pit — a hole
  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