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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. race — a contest
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. race — humankind
  6. shower — rain
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. race — the arms race
  9. shower — to wash
  10. wound — an injury
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — from crying
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. object — an aim
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. tear — to rip
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. object — a thing
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wound — an injury
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. object — to protest

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