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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. prune — to trim
  5. race — the arms race
  6. rule — government
  7. race — a contest
  8. mate — a friend
  9. land — a country
  10. lie — to recline
  11. race — humankind
  12. mate — to breed
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — a law
  16. stand — to bear
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. land — ground
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bore — to tire
  23. land — to come down
  24. prune — to trim

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