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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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. ruler — a monarch
  4. root — the cause
  5. rash — hasty
  6. swing — in golf
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. rash — a series
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. swing — to play on
  13. race — the arms race
  14. swing — music
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stock — goods
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bark — to shout
  21. root — of a word
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. stock — shares
  24. race — humankind

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