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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bore — to drill
  3. object — a thing
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. field — a subject
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bound — certain
  11. race — a contest
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. race — the arms race
  14. object — to protest
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bore — to tire
  18. wound — an injury
  19. field — for sport
  20. object — an aim
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bound — tied together
  23. field — farmland
  24. saw — the tool

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