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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rock — a stone
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. race — a contest
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. race — humankind
  10. spring — the season
  11. bore — to tire
  12. object — a thing
  13. chair — a leader
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. fall — the season
  17. bore — to drill
  18. spring — of water
  19. object — to protest
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. race — the arms race
  23. rock — music
  24. chair — to sit on

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