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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. race — a contest
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. root — the cause
  6. present — a gift
  7. fork — in a road
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bore — to tire
  12. root — of a plant
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. root — of a word
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — the arms race

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