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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to drill
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — humankind
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bore — to tire
  10. race — a contest
  11. board — a committee
  12. charge — in control
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. board — to get on
  17. charge — a price
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. tear — from crying
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. ball — a dance
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. charge — electricity

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