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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's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. present — the time now
  6. cap — a lid
  7. board — to get on
  8. race — humankind
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. present — a gift
  12. race — a contest
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. present — there
  16. race — the arms race
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. club — a group
  19. bore — to tire
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bore — to drill
  22. board — a committee
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bore — gave birth

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