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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. cap — a hat
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. object — an aim
  6. root — the cause
  7. bore — to drill
  8. object — a thing
  9. race — humankind
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. object — to protest
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. race — the arms race
  16. root — of a word
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. cap — of ice
  21. root — of a plant
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. cap — a lid

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