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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bound — obliged
  3. fine — high quality
  4. race — humankind
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. race — a contest
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. game — a match
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bore — to drill
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bound — certain
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fine — all right
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fine — a penalty

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